Sweet Sixteen: Questions without Answers...yet (Part III)

Continuing with the second day of two days and four posts.

You might hear more from me - or Pay - otherwise; however, I'm going to ride my tournament momentum and address a few issues on the upcoming weekend of regional semi-finals and finals.

Midwest = Mid-day Monday
West = Late Monday

East = Early Tuesday (aka BELOW)
South = Mid-to-late Tuesday

Denis Clemente, Frank Martin, and the Wildcats got their shot last night.
Up next, the East region.
Credit: KCConfidential.com

East Region:
#1 Kentucky vs. #12 Cornell

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Kentucky QUESTION: Simply put, question is: who stabilizes Kentucky when they start to struggle? If the Wildcats start out slow, hit a rough patch from the field mid-way through a tighter than expected second half, or suffer foul trouble from Cousins or Wall, who is the stabilizing presence on the court? Perhaps the answer can be found below.

Kentucky X-FACTOR: Speed. I talked about tempo, at length, when dissecting the Xavier/Kansas State matchup in the Midwest region. The same must be said about this affair between the Wildcats and the Big Red. Cornell has shown before - particularly against Rock, Chalk - that they can score with the big boys. Problem is: can they score for 40 minutes with Kentucky? Probably not, considering the pace John Wall and company are known to play with.

Wildcat I'm Watching: Perhaps I'm more guilty than most for underrating Patrick Patterson's versatility. While I think's it's completely moronic for him to chuck up any 3s - no less more than 1 - in a game, Cousins affords him extra spacing in the paint and his mid-range game has steadily improved this season. While he's not their top option, he's as close as the Wildcats have to a veteran on the court. Might come in hand against a team (Cornell) oozing with senior leadership.

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Cornell QUESTION: Question is, does Cornell have the bodies and the legs to withstand the runs Kentucky is capable of putting together? Cornell simply can't afford to be down by double-digits early on. This doesn't mean chucking up 3s and hoping to build an early 12-5(ish) lead. Instead, it's valuing possessions, limiting second chance opportunities for the Wildcats, and getting to the charity stripe. Hitting open 3s wouldn't hurt though. Unfortunately, much of that is quite a tall order against most people's prohibitive tournament favorite, Kentucky.

Cornell X-FACTOR: Veteran leadership. Cornell has a slew of seniors who know each other, their system, and exactly what their coach asks of them. Sounds a little like Northern Iowa, doesn't it? Cornell won't be rattled by Kentucky; however, let's not pretend Temple and Wisconsin run an offense anywhere near as talented and free-wheelin' as the Wildcats do. I don't buy any sort of hometown discount playing in Syracuse, either. Kentucky travels as well as any program in the nation. Bank on that.

Big Red I'm Watching: Ryan Wittman may be the star of Cornell, but beating Kentucky will take a star-making performance from senior point guard Louis Dale. Clark Kellog noted, quite wisely, that Dale plays at a speed that's "as fast as the situation calls for." Dale doesn't need to blow by opponents on every possession, just the ones where the lane is clear. His ability to make Wall work on defense - and effectively attack the paint - will go a long way in Cornell pulling off the upset.


#2 West Virginia vs. #11 Washington

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Washington QUESTION: Star power is the name of the game. Question is, can Quincy Pondexter go toe to toe with De'Sean Butler?

Washington X-FACTOR: Washington needs to get to the free throw line 20+ times and make 80% of them. That's not gonna be easy. 9-14 (64%) and 10-20 (50%) in their two opening victories are HIGHLY unimpressive numbers. West Virginia has 4 players on the court who can hit a 3 - covered or uncovered - deeper than you'd expect. To nullify that, make your free throws and force the Mountaineers into working for their shots, wherever they come from.

Husky I'm Watching: Quincy Pondexter is the star of this team. He may need to score 30+ and effectively bang for 35+ minutes against a team of forwards. Nevertheless, Isaiah Thomas Jr. needs to isolate West Virginia's glaring weakness, the point guard position. If Thomas can protect the ball and establish himself with a confident penetrating dribble, Mazzulla is foul prone and Bryant can turn into a walking disaster in little to no time. Win the point guard battle and Washington's improbable run can more easily continue.

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

West Virginia QUESTION: I hate to be redundant, but if the point needs to be made...in fact, I'll make it two or three times if I have to. For the Mountaineers, question is: how do they limit Quincy Pondexter's touches and if they can't, how do they avoid fouling him as he attacks the hoop off the dribble?

West Virginia X-FACTOR: It's obviously the point guard position. Bob Huggins would be foolish to expect the duo of Mazzulla/Bryant to go for 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists (with less than 5 turnovers). Problem is: he's gonna need that. Isaiah Thomas Jr. is a young, dynamic point guard in the making who can cause trouble for the WVU backcourt. Unless they can find one of the two to be a steadying force, West Virginia may be forced late in possessions to take tough, contested shots. Or to rely to heavily on Mr. Butler (if that's possible).

Mountaineer I'm Watching: Devin Ebanks seemed like a safe pick as preseason All-America. On a team full of forwards, he was the most willing to give up his body and make a play in the lane. Or so we thought. While his stats are far from dissapointing (12 points and 8 rebounds), I keep expecting Ebanks to show his lottery potential and take over games mid-way through the second half. Perhaps Bob Huggins and De'Sean Butler have something to do with that. Nevertheless, if Butler struggles - which isn't out of the question - can Ebanks control the glass or get to the free throw line (two things he can excel at) often enough to stem the tide before Mr. Clutch (eventually) arrives?

The final region, the South, gets its due later tonight.

Sweet Sixteen: Questions without Answers...yet (Part II)

Continuing what will be two days and four posts.

You might hear more from me - or Pay - otherwise; however, I'm going to ride my tournament momentum and address a few issues on the upcoming weekend of regional semi-finals and finals.

Midwest = Mid-day Monday
West = Late Monday (aka BELOW)

East = Early Tuesday
South = Mid-to-late Tuesday

Izzo and Sparty already got their due.
Up next: the West Regional.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

West Region: #1 Syracuse vs. #5. Butler

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Syracuse QUESTION: The health of Arinze Onuaku is a pre-existing circumstance. One I've mentioned more than enough, right? That aside, question is: what can Syracuse expect from the point guard position (duo of freshman Brandon Triche & sophomore Scoop Jardine) on both sides of the ball?

Syracuse X-FACTOR: How does Butler deal with the 2-3 zone? If they can't hit outside shots early and the Orange can rebound, much like they did against Gonzaga, things should go quite smoothly again for the Orange. Key word: can't.

Orange(man) I'm Watching: Wes Johnson was Big East Player of the Year and a 1st-team All American. Whether or not Onuaku plays (broken record?), he needs to be more selfish. Problem is, that's against Johnson's nature. Bigger problem is, how do you ask that without giving him potentially too much range? Credit the relationship he has with his teammates and, most of all, Jim Boeheim for that answer.

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Butler QUESTION: Out of conference opponents often struggle mightily against Syracuse's 2-3 zone. You don't see a zone like it often (or at all) and especially not with the length and athleticism Syracuse has. Butler has 3 days to prepare to attack it. Question is, how do you simulate that type of length and proficiency in practice?

Butler X-FACTOR: Outside shooting. His 10+ 3s and you can beat the Orange. Louisville did it, twice. Attack the zone and run and gun with the Orange and you can beat them. Georgetown did. Greg Monroe gave the blueprint for a big man. Either way, you need to score 90+ or hold the Orange 20% below their FG average to beat them. Don't turnover the ball either. And defend Andy Rautins well. Don't underestimate Butler being able to do a few of those things potentially.

Bulldog I'm Watching: Shelvin Mack. 25 against UTEP, but only 11 against Murray State. Mack will need to be productive from the perimeter and help break down the zone in order for the Bulldogs to keep up a consistent offensive pace. Long lapses are the worst nightmare for the Bulldogs next Thursday.

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#6. Xavier vs. #2. Kansas State

Xavier QUESTION: No need to ellaborate. TEMPO is the be all, end all of this game. Question is, how do the Musketeers force Kansas State into their tempo and avoid running up and down the court against superrior athletes?

Xavier X-FACTOR: Xavier didn't rebound very well down the stretch against Pitt (outrebounded 35-29). That could be an issue against Kansas State. It you give Jacob Pullen multiple opportunities, he'll burn you. Big time.

Musketeer I'm Watching: Dante Jackson better stop missing free throws late. He did in the A-10 semi-finals and it burned the Musketeers. He did it against the Panthers on Sunday evening and it ALMOST did again. If Jackson can't contribute in late stretches - and more than just on a leadership level - the Musketeers won't put up enough points to defeat the Wildcats.

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Kansas State QUESTION: Question is, how does Frank Martin allow his guards to have free range without turning the ball over and forcing poor shots? Xavier values possessions as well as any team in the nation. That means you better do the same. Otherwise, an 7-8 point lead against the Musketeers may feel like 15+ from other opponents.

Kansas State X-FACTOR: Speed and athleticism. Pullen and Clemente should get to the line 10+ times EACH. Both are ridiculously quick off of the rebound, can create their own shot with relative ease, and have no problem hitting from the outside. These two guards must dictate the pace of this game. Which means run, run, run.

Wildcat I'm Watching: Jacob Pullen is a star. His hip-injury is a little overplayed and it won't bother him. If he wants to do so much more than what Michael Beasley ever could in Manhattan (Kansas), he'll deliver in the clutch on Thursday night and put his team close to the brink of what was once seemingly unthinkable: a Final Four appearance.

The East regional gets it due earlier tomorrow. Until then...

NBA Mock Draft: Version C-L-E-M-E-N-T 2.0

Tweet tweet. Pay's most recent 2-round mock is HERE. I plan on having my final mock tonight or early tomorrow. Tweet tweet.

I love when big deals go down in the middle of my mock. Shaq to join Bron Bron.

I could predict trade after trade…but I won’t.

I could tell you how Minnesota won’t take four 1^st-round picks…but I won’t.

I could tell you that I did hours upon hours of research…but I won’t.

I could tell you I’m playing favorites for Flynn and Maynor (my boys)…but I won’t.

What I will do is give you a gutshot-straight interpretation, aka mock draft, of the first round of tomorrow night’s draft.

Enjoy…

Sorry Kwame, but you only get to go #1 once.
Credit: SportsFriendChronicles.com

1. LA Clippers - Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma

It’s all but 100% right now. I know Pay may kill me for this, but I wonder if this guy is going to be a star (no less superstar) in the NBA. His raw athleticism and out-of-the-gym hops will be limited until he develops a respectable jump shot or back to the basket game. I see this guy potentially shooting 95% inside 5 feet and 25% outside of it.

2. Memphis - Hasheem Thabeet, C, UConn

If I were allowed to play “virtual GM”, I’d probably predict that Rubio goes here and is dealt to another team (likely Minnesota). In the end, Thabeet’s size and shotblocking ability are sorely needed in Memphis and won’t be passed up.

3. Oklahoma City - James Harden, SG, Arizona State
Rubio here is enticing, but Westbrook works well with Durant and seems a solid fit that doesn’t need to gel alongside another point guard in the starting lineup. Harden is as unselfish a shoot-first guard can be. He’ll fit in nicely alongside this team’s young nucleus.

4. Sacramento – Tyreke Evans, PG/SG, Memphis
He’ll eeek out Rubio as the 19-year old coveted by SacTown. Selling tickets for a season or two is one thing, the potential this kid (Evans) has is another. He is committed, even at a young age, to playing tough on both sides of the ball. Good luck finding that at any age on the basketball court.

5. Minnesota – Ricky Rubio, PG, DKV Joventut
Just take the best two guys available. Of course, it’s highly unlikely Minnesota makes four 1^st-round selections, but I’ll go with it. Rubio should be lucky to be playing alongside an unselfish, skilled big like Kevin Love. Not to mention the force in the paint that has become Al Jefferson (who the Timberwolves would be quite foolish to trade).

Stephen Curry would do quite well if his career ended up like his father's, Dell.
Credit: Blox.pl

6. Minnesota – Stephen Curry, PG/SG, Davidson
Both the Warriors and Knicks would like to move up for Curry, but either won’t (Warriors) or can’t (Knicks) pay the steep price. Curry would do well in a smaller market and could eventually blossom into a lights-out shooter from all over the court.

7. Golden State – Jrue Holliday, PG/SG, UCLA
Combo him with Monta Ellis, especially with Jamal Crawford potentially on the way out, and allow Holliday’s game time to grow. He’ll fit in well on a roster that already has several guys of that ilk. With that being said, this pick might be the equivalent of the Raiders at 7 in the NFL Draft. Outside of (maybe) Curry, this team is my biggest unknown.

At least D'Antoni knows the kid can play 40+ minutes a night.
Credit: Syracuse.com

8. New York – Jonny Flynn, PG, Syracuse
No Curry, Evans, or even Thabeet has to make the Knicks cringe, but should be expected. Fortunately, there point guard for the future is found. Flynn likes the bright lights, has stamina galore for the offense he’d be walking into, and doesn’t mind putting up double digit assists before double digit points.

9. Toronto – Jordan Hill, PF, Arizona
I’ve had this for nearly a month. Bosh is going to end up being potentially the biggest free agent of 2010. Why? LeBron and Wade are re-signing and I still firmly believe Amare will be signed and traded at some point before next season’s trade deadline. Toronto can invest in Hill’s emerging talent, as a likely replacement for Mr. Bosh.

10. Milwaukee – Demar Derozan, SG/SF, UCLA
With the Richard Jefferson experiment over, Milwaukee has to decide what its point guard (particularly Ramon Sessions) situation looks like. While Holliday would be nice, Derozan offers versatility and – give or take 2-3 years – a lot of what they had to have seen in Jefferson.

11. New Jersey – Gerald Henderson, SG, Duke
I scratched my head a little about this after I typed it, but decided that Henderson – who won’t go #8 to the Knicks – is tough, physical, and the type of attack the basket player that will soon be in the lineup next to Devin Harris.

12. Charlotte – Tyler Hansbrough, PF, North Carolina
Doesn’t this sound like an MJ pick? Unlike the questionable Sean May selection, Hansbrough is tough enough for the NBA game and would bring heart and hustle to a team that lacks any star credibility whatsoever. Funny how he worked his way into the lottery. Doesn’t surprise me one bit. Pay, please never post that picture again though.

13. Indiana – Brandon Jennings, PG, Lottomatica Roma
TJ Ford must hate all the love for the point guard position in most mock drafts for the Pacers. Jennings is a little too raw right now; however, he can be given plenty of time to develop. I still have a feeling this guy isn’t the next Sebastian Telfair.

This kid impresses me more and more daily. He might be the gem of this draft class. Seriously.
Credit: Wordpress.com

14. Phoenix – Ty Lawson, PG, North Carolina
What Phoenix does with Amare over the next 12 months, or even 12 days (hours?), is going to dictate the future of this franchise potentially for the next 5-10 years. While Steve Nash isn’t likely to be let go, the Suns need backcourt depth and Lawson is as about as good as it gets. His defense is underrated and he will adjust to the half court much better than most critics are willing to accept.

15. Detroit – BJ Mullens, C, Ohio State
I’ll drink the Kool-Aid on the “guarantee”, which means it ain’t happening. Mullens is a bonafide BUST. There, I called it.

Am I cray to make a comparison between Blair and JR Reid? Am I!?!?
Credit: SI.com

16. Chicago – DeJuan Blair, PF/C, Pittsburgh
The knee issues shouldn’t be ignored for a guy with such a physical game. Tyrus Thomas may not be in Chicago past draft night, either way Blair offers physicality that is vital for this team.

17. Philadelphia – Jeff Teague, PG, Wake Forest
Edges out my boy Maynor for his “instant offense” ability. Will there be enough shots though if he and Louis Williams form a future backcourt? Not likely.

18. Minnesota (from Miami) – Terrence Williams, SG/SF, Louisville
Corey Brewer isn’t going to work out in the NBA. Williams should study the maturation of Chris Bosh from college (albeit one season) to the NBA. Add in some defensive toughness and this guy might make a lot of teams regret letting him slip out of the lottery.

19. Atlanta – Eric Maynor, PG, Virginia Commonwealth
Acie Law and Speedy Claxton may be going to Golden State for Jamal Crawford. That tells me this team needs a pass-first point guard for the future. Enter perhaps the top pick-and-roll guard in this draft, who could start and produce very early for this talented up-and-coming team. Sorry Mike Bibby.

20. Utah – James Johnson, SF/PF, Wake Forest
You know they want Hansbrough, but Johnson is young and can develop nicely under Jerry Sloan and company. Although let it be stated again, I don’t like this kid’s NBA potential at all.

21. New Orleans – Earl Clark, SF/PF, Louisville
If he falls/plummets to 21, I’d trade up to get him. Portland is furious right now as Clark would’ve been an intriguing fit, sorry Channing Frye, in their young nucleus.

If Young's shot fake can work in the NBA, that's 8-10 more points a game for him.
Credit: CNNSI.com

22. Portland – Sam Young, SF/PF, Pittsburgh
This team needs to draft a mature, responsible, and multi-versatile player this late in the 1^st round. Couldn’t ask for a much better option honestly.

23. Sacramento (from Houston) – Omri Casspi, SF, Maccabi Tel Aviv
Here’s the import who might be able to help this team more than you expect, just not immediately. In a relatively tiny international crop, he might be the clear-cut #2 option (although well behind Rubio).

24. Dallas – Austin Daye, SF, Gonzaga
I don’t expect Josh Howard to be going anywhere…yet. Nevertheless, Dallas will take Daye, despite the interesting physicality issues that Pay – and a few others – have noticed recently, to add depth to the position.

25. Oklahoma City (from San Antonio) – Taj Gibson, PF, USC
Oklahoma City needs a body who can fill the paint. While his offensive game might need minor retooling, I think Gibson’s blend of physicality and an impressive wingspan would work well for the Thunder (what a stupid team name, by the way).

26. Chicago (from Denver through Oklahoma City) – Wayne Ellington, SG, North Carolina
I’ve seen him as high as the late lottery to the early-half of the second round. He’s a smooth shooter who could develop into a talented first-tier reserve in the NBA. What Pay and I disagree somewhat about is his ability, at least in the NBA, to attack the hoop and create his own shot.

Still room on the "Patt Mills in the 1st Round" bandwagon. Hope on!!!!
Credit: SQPN.com

27. Memphis (from Orlando) – Patrick Mills, PG, St. Mary’s

I was stubborn that somehow Darius Hayward-Bay would be taken before Michael Crabtree in the NFL Draft. Fortunately, Al Davis bailed me out. Meanwhile, I still stick to my guns that Mills finds a way to go in the 1^st round. It’s just me sitting out here. It’s lonely and cold.

28. Minnesota (from Boston) – Nick Calathes, SG, Florida
Let him play overseas for a year or two and then come to the NBA. With four first round picks, which as you know I have them all keeping, it doesn’t hurt to let an investment accrue interest for a short while.

29. LA Lakers – Darren Collison, PG, UCLA
Derek Fisher isn’t getting any younger, Farmar could be interesting trade bait if an injury arose for the Lakers, and Collison plays enough defense to be a backup point guard in the NBA.

30. Cleveland – Chase Budinger, SF, Arizona

He has lottery talent and likely will prove critics and detractors wrong and go much much earlier than this. However, there are a lot of things worse than going to play with LeBron James. Just ask Luke Jackson. I mean, don’t ask him. Nevermind…

Here's a few of the reasons why I think Eric Maynor is lottery potential, despite a ton of depth at the position.

InClement Weather: Opening Round Reactions [Part II of II]

Mid-day update.
We spoke earlier. You enjoyed it. Admit it.
Check the poll to the right of the page, too.

Villanova stormed past UCLA and never looked back. This being a home court game didn't hurt, but it didn't decide a thing either. Nevertheless, it's ridiculous the Wildcats played their opening round games on a court they hosted 4 teams at this season.

Memphis led from the start against an overmatched Maryland squad. Tyreke Evans had 13 points early and the entire Memphis roster got involved from start to beginning. Most impressive line? Antonio Anderson took 2 shots and dished out 11 assists. Perhaps this is a Final Four-caliber squad.

Three 5:00ish tipoffs underway.

LSU needs to work harder than UNC on both sides of the ball. Unlikely. Seeing Ty Lawson's face on the bench early was not a good sign for Tar Heel fans. Even if they would have 4 days off after a victory, Lawson will need to be 100% before the Final Four. The last 5 minutes of the first half may have decided things early on. LSU is simply not good enough to execute play-in and play-out against Roy's boys. Carolina closes the half on a 17-7 run after trailing (briefly) 20-19. I'll be interested to see a team who can get into the penalty as quickly as the Heels do. Nova perhaps?

Purdue started off red hot; however, Washington has righted the ship and got the deficit under double-digits. You blink and what you just said isn't so succinct. Purdue leads 39-28 at the half.

Oklahoma and Michigan are in a bit of a stalemate. No surprise with a Big Ten team involved. Somewhat surprisingly, Michigan leads 28-25. Could another Player of the Year be going out in the first weekend? Not so fast.

As for the 1st (aka "Opening") Round...

East Region

I'll take Travis Ford over Bruce Pearl any day. As for Eric Andrews. Well...
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Pittsburgh survived a scare from East Tennessee State 72-62. Honestly, you can realistically point to ETSU blowing this game with their wretched performance from the foul line (12-24). Meanwhile, if DeJuan Blair thinks he's gonna get away with being that physical in the second weekend...it ain't happening.

Oklahoma State, coached by Travis Ford, narrowly defeated Tennessee 77-75 in potentially the opening weekend's most nailbiting game. The Vols took a late lead on a clutch 3-point play from Tyler Smith, only to lose it (and the game) to Byron Eaton's heroics on his own 3-point play with less than 10 seconds to go. Seriously, hasn't Eaton been at OSU for a decade? On another note, Bruce Pearl is becoming a bit of underachiever considering the talent he recruits.

Wisconsin upset Florida State 61-59. "James" Toney Douglas and the Noles had the lead far too often down the stretch, even by 3 in the final minute, to lose this game. Give all credit to Bo Ryan and the Badgers. Hughes is a clutch performer, plain and simple.

Xavier took out Portland State, mainly in the second half, 77-59. It's highly understated how much Xavier lost last season and how talented they remain. Remember that Greg Oden all-out shove may have cost this team a Final Four last season.

UCLA snuck past VCU 65-64 in the closing seconds. VCU play uninspired basketball for 35 minutes and in the end, Maynor seemed more worried about drawing a foul than making the winning shot. I was there and it was painful. Meanwhile, UCLA can thank way too many clutch free throws for their victory.

Villanova withstood American to win 80-67. American was up 14 in the second half and then got stuck on 55. Garrison Carr channeled Stephen Curry quite well for 15 minutes. Jeff Jones keeping Carr out far too long - 4 fouls or not - and the foul situation itself doomed the Eagles. How Villanova was in the double bonus at the 14-minute mark is unforgivable. Meanwhile, they might as well have played this game at the Villanova dorms to make it any more un-neutral. A disgrace by the tournament committee. Disgrace!!!

Texas coasted past Minnesota 76-62. With all the talent on the Longhorns roster, they will not surprise anyone to give Duke one hell of a game.

Duke stormed past Kornheiser's Bighamton squad. No comments necessary.

South Region

It's not just Blake (front and center) who needs to be a manchild in the coming games. Brother Taylor - who Pay and I often disagree a lot about - better be more than a body double who cleans up misses after his brother is triple-teamed.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

North Carolina played sans-Lawson and did what you expect great teams to do: destroy 16 seeds 101-58.

LSU had the athletes and the game plan to take out Butler 75-71. So they did.

Western Kentucky "upset" Illinois (how undeserving a 5-seed were they?) 76-72. Bruce Weber got the most out of this team; however, they were clearly not going very far this year in the tournament.

Gonzaga pulled away from a pesky Akron squad to earn a 77-64 victory. The key for the Zags is not showing up in a potential Sweet Sixteen showdown with the Tar Heels. Instead, it's making the Sweet Sixteen and then worrying about their performance against the South region's top-seed.

Arizona State took an early lead and Dionte Christmas the Temple Owls never caught up, losing 66-57. James Harden was ice cold - only 9 points - but the Sun Devils got a dynamic first-half from Derek Glasser and stellar performance from post-man Jeff Pendergraph.

Syracuse was up 20-4 early and cruised to as easy a first-round victory as Coach Boeheim could've asked for 59-45. SDSU shot 0-15 from behind the arc to start the game. Impressive. Johnny Flynn is still searching for his legs, but at least the Orange have their first tournament win since 2004.

Michigan held on to defeat Clemson 62-59. With two NBA-caliber players on the floor (specifically Manny Harris), the Wolverines were bumpy at best in the second-half, yet held on for their first W in the NCAA Tournament in nearly 11 years. No kudos for Clemson's Terrence Oglesby, whose costly ejection was, well, costly.

Oklahoma waxed Morgan State. Sadly, what ended up being most memorable for this game was the "flipping" of Blake Griffin. What a way for the team to represent themselves in the tournament for the first time ever.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend slate. See you Monday!
But before I go...here's a classic Bruce Pearl/Eric Andrews moment.

InClement Weather: Sweet Sixteen (Thoughts)

No doubt by now you've filled out a bracket (or 12) and begun to overanalyze what lies ahead for us all in the coming weeks.

Take a deep breath and calm down. In fact, enjoy sixteen (or so) thoughts about the bracket.

No, I'm not here to talk bubble either.

Midwest Region
1) Utah is already the most overrated team according to the entire country. Not me. But you say to me: "name on player on their team." That doesn't say anything negative about them; instead, it speaks to the lunacy in picking Arizona to march to the Sweet Sixteen automatically. Despite a load of talent, the Wildcats are undisciplined and unfocused (especially come March Madness in recent years). I would favor Cleveland State over Arizona. And that's not even because of the "hate".

2) Ohio State and Siena is a game you order the Direct Ticket package for, even if you don't know much about either team. It's going to be entertaining as two contrasting styles go to war. Both of these teams can scare Louisville. Big time.

3) USC ran through the Pac-10 Tournament all the way to their automatic bid, but they'll struggle with BC. If Rice hits his shots early, this game will be over very very early.

4) West Virginia is an up-and-coming team at the perfect time. If Ebanks can control himself against Kansas' bigs in the second round, the Mountaineers can shoot lights out from the beyond the arc and grab an early lead. Then Bob Huggins can switch up his defenses and frustrate you into bad shots. Just ask Pitt.

West Region
5) Nobody deserves BYU/Texas A&M again. Nobody.

6) Purdue and Washington are two teams that I fully expect to battle for a spot in the Elite Eight. Read that again and understand what I'm really saying.

7) Memphis might've gotten the break they needed by receiving the 2-seed. They get to play with a chip on their shoulder and one of the easier halves of their region's bracket. I don't buy Missouri just yet as an Elite Eight team. Despite having a fantastic coach, it won't happen this season for the Tigers.

8) Marquette is now done with that muderous Big East schedule - five-straight ranked opponents - and has (I think) finally adjusted to life with James. Nevertheless, they have a tricky first-round matchup against an underrated Utah State team. Can they win one game without James in the tournament? Of course. 2? Not so fast.

East Region

9) Two very contrasting styles when Wisconsin and Florida State meet up. Leonard Hamilton needs to be prepared for Toney Douglas to see two defenders at all times. If Kitchen attacks the hoop efficiently and the Noles use their size on both sides of the ball early on, the Noles will roll.

10) Texas and Tennessee both appeared to be top 10 squads at different points this season. During others, I wondered seriously if they were worthy of a tournament bid. One of them is bound to pull a major upset. But who? Paging Mr. Abrams and Mr. Chism.

11) Villanova playing in Philadelphia is better than 1-seed. This team is NOT afraid of meeting up with Pitt in the Elite Eight. Not one bit. They also shouldn't discount a scrappy trio of teams (American, VCU, and UCLA) in their way of a potential showdown with Duke. Yes, I actually just called UCLA "scrappy". Compared to the last three years, that's a compliment for this team.

12) Don't fall too in love with Eric Maynor and the VCU Rams pulling the "automatic upset" just yet. Even you Seth Davis. Darren Collison is the better PG on the floor, college-wise, if 100% healthy. Meanwhile, Larry Sanders will have to bang without picking up cheap fouls. While I like the Rams to win - especially if they shoot the 3 well and guard the 3 even better - the Bruins have several key players remaining (especially Collison and Shipp) from a squad that has made 3 straight Final Fours. Beware of Maynor though. Just ask the Patriots of George Mason. If the Rams start well, they don't lose very often.

South Region
13) Butler and LSU won't be able to keep up with UNC for even a half. Nevertheless, I'm interested to see how UNC manages Lawson - whom I expect to be 100% healthy - in their second round matchup. With the look of the draw, they'll need him healthy by the Sweet 16, especially if Gonzaga rolls in the opening weekend (which is far from automatic).

14) Syracuse vs. Oklahoma is a matchup many are already salivating over in the Sweet 16. Something tells me it won't happen, which would be a shame; especially for bleeding heart Orange fans like myself.

15) Look out for Temple, especially if Dionte Christmas can shoot over the Arizona State zone. The Sun Devils gave up big leads in their past two games, losing against USC in the Pac-10 final. While James Harden is the best player on the court, if he's cold early on, I like the Owls to gring this game out and potentially knock out the 6-seed.

16) If you have any ideas for gauging Clemson and Illinois: let me know, please?

Syracuse 127, UCONN 117 [6 OT]: Best Game EVER???

Best ever? It's not hyperbole. It's legitimately up for debate. In my short viewing experience - my first memories are of the 1989 title game between Michigan & Seton Hall - it takes the cake.

You've seen the stats. You know I am a Syracuse fan.
Nevertheless, here's 12 things you gotta know about perhaps the best college basketball game e-v-e-r.

All pictures credit to Yahoo! Sports and ESPN.com

1) Johnny Flynn played 67 of the 70 minutes. He also played 35 minutes of the 40 last night. Math majors, that's 102 minutes since 9:30 pm last night until 1:30 am this morning.

2) Syracuse committed only 16 turnovers in 70 minutes. Even UCONN's 27 don't seem unforgiveable considering the circumstances. UCONN had a rebounding edge of 76 to 62. How many teams overcome -14 rebound deficit to win? Not many.


3) Flynn deserves the gameball; however, don't discount AJ Price. He might've gotten all of his last-second misses out of his system tonight. Price went for 33 points and 7 assists. Yet, the late game misses will hurt...until UCONN throttles their first round opponent next week. He and Jeff Adrien both left a lot of shots on the floor tonight in the closing minutes. Kemba Walker deserves a lot of credit, especiall as a freshman, for the effort. He's obviously no Jerome Dyson though. Not many are.

4) 4 straight Big East Tournament losses for UCONN. Surprising or shocking? Although here's a number in their favor, 6 times they've won 15 games or more in regular season-Big East play. The rest of the field? No more than once each.

5) Paul Harris missed more "gimmes" and "puppies" than anyone could imagine. Nevertheless, the "Niagara Falls Boys" (Flynn & Harris) made 29 of 30 free throws.

Quote of the Day:
Radio Caller: Why doesn't Paul Harris shoot more jumpers? He has a sweet-looking shot.
Jim Boeheim: Two people in the world love Paul's jump shot. You and Paul Harris.

6) Speaking of free throws. What was more shocking: Onuaku making 2 consecutive free throws near the end of regulation OR Cuse as a team making 40-51 (78%) overall and 23 of 26 (88%)? If you know anything about the Cuse in the Boeheim-era, you know this ain't exactly normal.

Credit: HuffingtonPost.com

7) Remember that the UCONN kids and their coach had to interview after this loss. Imagine losing in 6 OTs - never actually trailing in the first 5 OTs - and having to talk about it snotty reporters and blog writers. Now is the time Calhoun - who I admitedly despise - can legitimately tell people to shutup, if he so chooses.

8) Look at the box score lines. Just look. These are unofficial.
A) Paul Harris - 29 points, 22 rebounds, (13-14 free throws), and yet it was a few layups and a missed dunk that almost cost the team. Blake Griffin has a lot of these nights in 30-25 mintues. Not in MSG against UCONN though.
B) Johnny Flynn - 33 points, 10 assists, (16-16 free throws), and only 2 personal fouls.
C) Andy Rautins - 20 points, (6-12 3 point field goals), and the backbreaking 3-pointer a mere 13 seconds in the 6th OT. Yes, the 6th OT.
D) Stanley Robinson - 29 points, 14 rebounds, 7 offensive rebounds, (11-19 FGs), and a potential return to form that will greatly enhance this Huskie team.
E) Hasheem Thabeet - 19 points, 15 rebouds, 6 blocks, and a 5th foul that left his team a shred of what is is with him. Blair, Griffin, and Hansbrough won't get 50+ minutes to draw a 5th foul on the Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Oh yeah, the guy logged 50+ too.
F) Justin Thomas (walk-on) - 19 minutes all season, grabs his first rebound in the 5th OT.
G) Scottie Harrelson - 5 points and two baskets that normally win games and make Bucky Dent's out of 11th men.

9) I bitched a lot about the refs (who doesn't in the Big East against Calhoun???), but they let the kids play down the stretch. My only legitimate gripe: Jeff Adrien committed 12+ fouls. However, he was also out there to miss two potential game-winning shots. And yes, I admit the Devendorf shot was after the buzzer. I still wanted it to count...

10) Devendorf's shot was after the buzzer. Yeah, I said it again. Maybe by 0.0000001 seconds. Honestly, it was THAT close. Imagine that's the difference between a win in regulation and a historic shot AND a 6 OT game unlike any other. In the end, I honestly don't know which moment I wanted more. Doctors across upstate New York just made a fortune with elevated heart rates (credit to Pay for that gem).

Only Shane Falco has more heart than Johnny Flynn. Maybe.
Credit: MovieForum.com

11) Johnny Flynn taking that body blow trying to screen an unaware Thabeet on Devendorf's eventual miss. That is HEART. Shane Falcon-esque heart. Yeah, I said it.

12) Name a better game. Seriously. Name it. Even without a true buzzer beater for the win. Name a better game. Maybe this one?

InClement Weather: Midnight Musings

Check out Pay's latest bracket projections.
Also check out the schedule for conference tournaments.

A few highlights from the night of college basketball...

Close to a brawl at MSG. No dice though. Shocker. K-Fed was involved.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Dexter Pittman led Texas past Colorado. No surprise. The Buffs have lost 22 games this season. One word. OUCH!

Robert Morris received a lucky bounce down the stretch and defeated Mount St. Mary's 48-46 to secure their first NCAA Tournament bid since 1984 as Northeast Conference Champions. In case you didn't know, "The Mount" took out Robert Morris the past two seasons in the Championship game, on their own homecourt no less. Did any of that interest you?

Portland State and Montana State are tied up at 50 at the under-16 timeout in the Big Sky Championship. I'm not watching. Sorry, folks.

I can't feign an interest in the A10 Tournament yet. Sorry yet again. Ditto for the opening rounds of the SWAC, Mountain West, Conference USA, MEAC (quarterfinals), and the Pac-10 opener (Stanford over Oregon State and Oregon vs. Washington State). Oh yeah, Oregon has 22 losses too. Symmetry is cool.

...as for the rating draw of the night...

The Big East left ESPN360 and hit the "real networks" to broadcast the (real) opening round of the Big East Tournament.

As expected, teams 1-8 survived.

DePaul flirted with Providence, but ran out of gas down the stretch to a better team. Pay was right, this win meant nothing for Providence (who is squarely on the bubble). As Pay's second team out, the Friars may not get their at-large bid with just a valiant effort against #1-seed Louisville. In this writer's opinion, the Friars need the outright W for the outright bid. Don't worry symmetry opponents, DePaul has 24 losses.

Marquette broke a 4-game winning streak, leading by as much as 38-10 at the half. Don't get too excited. They were playing St. John's.

West Virginia took an early lead on Notre Dame and never looked back. In case you didn't know, I l-o-v-e watching Notre Dame lose. Here is a memo to Mike Brey:
1) Wear a tie.
2) Luke Harangody is the WORST defensive player I have ever seen.
3) Kyle McAlarney is a liability as he can't score inside 23-feet (and not efficiently enough outside of it).
4) Seriously dude, wear a tie.

Syracuse fought off a scrappy Seton Hall team, who actually led the Orange 37-36 in the second half. Turning point (outside of Cuse having superrior talent) was a scuffle between Arinze Onuaku and John Garcia (who?). AO taunted with a sissy-clap, earning a technical after Garcia shoved him, and a play later a flagrant foul (which should have led to an immediate ejection) led to Cuse opening up a 20-point lead in the next 8 minutes. Eric Devendorf going white-trash on the crowd was just a perk, I suppose. Jay Bilas then gave a 10-minute lecture. Not so good.

Luke didn't look faxed after getting posterized. Why? It happens a lot.

10 Questions to the Editor - Bracket-Style [Mid-Week Edition]

Pay reads my thoughts sometimes. Probably not vice versa though.

After 3 successful weeks - and just about 10 days until Selection Sunday - I decided to disturb Pay's week and throw out a pick-six of questions (of course, you know that means SEVEN) after three nights of pre-March Madness.

Don't worry, we'll be back this weekend too.

Yep, we know TO got released. But we're here to talk brackets. Not about his quarterback. In fact, we knew it when it was reported at midnight by Michael Smith on Sportscenter. Yeah, what!?!?!
Credit: Millions of Hilarious Google Image Searches

1) "Quinn Snyder Who?"
Blake Griffin goes for 16 and 20, yet the Oklahoma Sooners lose to Missouri (who is 18-0 at home btw). Meanwhile, Kansas loses @ (2-12 in conference) Texas Tech in a relative 19-point laugher. With that in mind: has Oklahoma ruined their chances at a #1 seed?

2) "Missing in Action"
Marquette thumped Pitt in the opening stretch of the second half - with a 21-5 run out of the gates - but couldn't seal the deal, ultimately losing 90-75 to DeJuan Blair and company (largely due to a 21-2 run of their own). Question is: is the loss of senior guard and captain Dominic James simply too devastating to take the Golden Eagles seriously come tourney time?

3) "Really an Upset?"
Let's make it simple. Whose home loss was more surprising: LSU's to Vanderbilt or Purdue's to Northwestern?

4) "Rambling Wreck!"
Admit it, after tonight's loss to Georgia Tech...even the staunchest Miami (Florida-style) supporters have to shut their yaps. Right?

5) "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye..."
Is it possible that both SEC stalwarts Kentucky (losing to Georgia) and Florida (losing to Mississippi State) sealed their bubble fates with damaging losses tonight?

6) "Mired in the Muck"
Is it possible a mid-major (i.e. Creighton, Sienna, St. Mary's, Davidson) was the big winner with SO MANY bubble teams losing in the past 48 hours (Va. Tech, Maryland, Florida, Kentucky, Miami (Fl), Georgetown, Notre Dame, Kansas State)? Or was it a major conference squad like Providence, Texas A&M, or Arizona (who does draw Cal tomorrow)?

***Bonus Question***
7) "Isn't this a FOOTBALL Conference?"
No it isn't a trivial question this time. Minnesota moves to 9-8 in the Big 10 with a HUGE home victory against Wisconsin. Next up: Michigan. Problem is, what are we mere mortals to make of Big Ten bubble squads Penn State, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan, and even Northwestern? A simple in/out (as of tonight) would suffice.

Quote of the night: Shawn Taggart of Memphis.
“I feel like a lot of people out there disrespect our conference,” Taggart said. “A lot of people act like it’s the worst conference in the country. To keep winning like this is a big deal. I’m sure if you put North Carolina in this conference, they wouldn’t go undefeated. It’s very tough.”

Oh yeah, here's a clip to make you smile (especially YOU Pay).
Credit to Dan B via YouTube on this gem.

March Madness: Examining the Top of the Class

While it’s unrealistic to pretend there are only 4 finite teams who will contend for the national championship, it’s round enough a number to work with.

Below are (my) the 4 teams, highlighting one key performer - you might not automatically assume - whom might just be cutting down a pair of nets come March Madness.

Yes, that’s 1 for going to the Final Four and 1 after the National Championship game. Duh.

While these are FAR from role players, they are also not the “it” guys…yet.

And no, I'm still not looking for the next Josh Pace. Or am I???


UCONN Huskies

Senior leadership, in the frontcourt, is highly underrated.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Jerome Dyson’s injury is HUGE news for the #1 team in the country. Obviously, Clement. However, the recent play of Hasheem Thabeet (minus against a guy named Blair) and depth in the backcourt (Austrie, Price, & Walker) doesn’t mean UCONN is up the creek without a paddle. In fact, it might be the performance of leading scorer and 34 minute/per game power forward Jeff Adrien that propels UCONN to a third national championship.

Why? Adrien is often forgotten on the front line due largely to Thabeet; however, he’s a senior with a ton of experience, an affinity to bang, and offers up plenty of mismatches in the post. He would also draw assignments including Hansbrough, Griffin, Henderson, and Clark in the post.


North Carolina Tar Heels

If Ellington can draw extra defenders, UNC may be unguardable.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Hansbrough is the stud, Green is the glue, and Lawson is the dynamic playmaker. So why am I calling on Wayne Ellington? The former Mr. Basketball in Texas has been way too up-and-down this season. In fact, I consider him an outright top 10-recruit B-U-S-T. However, if he can go Ben Gordon on the field during the NCAA Tournament, he becomes a matchup nightmare and makes me settle up to dine on some crow.

Why? While UNC is far from a 3-point shooting team (which is a GOOD thing in Williams’ system), Ellington can put up 4 or 5 treys in less than 10 minutes and really deflate teams attempting to score with the Heels. He also afford the Heels a chance to break out of the funks many half-court defenses have attempted to put them in.


Oklahoma Sooners

Pay brought up to me the Terminator's brother; however, I took a different route.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Blake Griffin, as evident yet again after a 40 point, 23 rebound performance against Texas Tech, is going to be the most talented performer come tournament time. The concussion won’t linger either. Don’t worry about the Terminator. However, that didn’t exactly work out for the likes of fellow Big XII studs Kevin Durant and Michael Beasley (combined 1-2) in recent tournaments. Fortunately for Griffin, he has a talented roster surrounding him and a coach (while very young) who is pushing the right buttons; especially in Big XII play. Enter into the equation a pair of guards, Willie Warren and Tony Crocker, who w ill likely each need a pair of games for Oklahoma – while ranked #2 in the country – to appear to be the real thing. They couldn’t carry the Sooners sans-Griffin against Texas & Kansas, but with the big man back…they can be vital parts, even if they aren’t legitimate #1-scoring options.

Why? If neither can become a legitimate 18-20 point scorer come tourney time opposite Griffin, Oklahoma appears one of the “easier” 1-seeds to draw. Yeah, I said it.


Pittsburgh Panthers

Pitt's "Big 3" (Fields, Young, & Blair) can't do it alone. They'll need a Jermaine Dixon-type role player to help put them over the edge to cut down a pair of nets.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

DeJuan Blair and the Panthers can’t afford to make the same mistake they always seem to (yet nobody every mentions); specifically, putting too much stock in the Big East Tournament and coming out flat in the second weekend of the real March Madness. Perhaps if all there games could be in Madison Square Garden, the Panthers would have made at least one Final Four – or an Elite Eight no less - over the past decade. Perhaps with enough talent now – especially with NBA-ready Sam Young and 7-assist-a-game Levance Fields – Jamie Dixon finally has his ticket to reach a Final Four. I still am skeptical because of their reliance on the aforementioned conference tournament, as well as lacking a sharpshooter from beyond the 3-point line, and Blair’s ability to pile up fouls and “unclog” the post (while on the bench). Enter into the equation three names: Brad Wanamaker, Jermaine Dixon, and Tyrell Biggs. All three need to be that “extra” option – whether starting or off the bench – who can provide more than energy & foul relief (which Pitt will need with non-Big East refs). The real key is hitting open shots (particularly 3s) and allowing the Panthers to accumulate early leads, thus putting less pressure on Blair to stay in the game.

Why? Without them, Pitt is vulnerable as a bruising team who might run into a Curry, Harden, Delaney, McClinton, Calathes, or even a (homer pick) Maynor before the end of the second weekend. One shooter can put the Panthers into an offensive battle, which isn’t their forte necessarily.


Just for fun, here’s a list of some other “names” to consider…

"The Colonel" will need his senior guard to defer far more than take over.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Louisville’s up-and-down-to-the-extreme Edgar Sosa. Especially in the closing minutes of tight games.

Memphis’s Shawn Taggart seems to have all the pieces; yet, I remain as skeptical as ever. As long as he lives in the paint – and away from the longball – he offers up plenty-of-athleticism-and-difficult-to-matchup-with-size to bring on one key word: mismatch.

Duke’s is-he-starting-or-more-effective-off-the-bench Greg Paulus. Especially if Duke isn’t hitting its threes early on and its opponent is. In fact, nobody can save Duke if THAT happens. And it will…

(Mistake) Wake Forest’s phenomenal-freshman–who-does-more-without-the-ball-in-his-hands-on-offense-than-with-it Al Farouq-Amin. Especially if Jeff Teague isn’t decisive down the stretch with the basketball. This team is WAY too average the past four weeks.

Michigan State’s I-turn-over-the-ball-far-more-often-than-I-reward-teammates-in-the-post sophomore guard Durrell Summers. Especially since the dynamic sixth man might see more minutes than most starters for Izzo’s Spartans. Lucas better get healthy, too.

…sorry, I’ll try and find a West Coast school…

UCLA’s sensational-freshmen-who-needs-to-boost-his-draft-stock-ASAP Jrue Holliday, who appears unwilling to take big shots – especially inside the 3-point line – in the closing minutes of game. Especially when Collison needs to kick it out to a perimeter option.

Sorry Marquette, Clemson, Villanova, Missouri, Xavier, LSU, Butler, Kansas, Arizona State, and Gonzaga…you just don’t make the cut…yet.

Pay's brackets definitely got a shakeup (or two) after last night's hiccups.
Just like Jimmy Rollings, if you wanna be a champion, you gotta want it!