Week in Review: Bummer City

Second straight busy week at PHSports.

First off, check out the NEW POLL top right of the page. Vote on!!!!

Picture of the Week: It still leaves a sick feeling in my stomach...

Credit: DailyOrange.com

1) Urban Meyer is a tool. Yeah, we already knew that. But Gator fan has a much tougher task defending his blatantly ridiculous actions this week. For a summary: check it. For my opinion, see the first sentence in this post. Tool.

2) Women's basketball remains boring. No matter how much ESPN wants us to care, women's college basketball is unwatchable and UCONN's streak is as meaningless as any of its kind in recent memory. Don't try and be PC, either. Admit it.

3) Butler and West Virginia advanced to the Final Four on Saturday. Who told you to worry about Kentucky? Oh yeah, ME!!!
A) Nobody could stabilize them on the court as West Virginia dominated the second half with back cuts and a non-scoring point guard SCORING at will. Not to mention them missing countless 3s against WVU in a 73-66 loss Saturday night.
B) John Wall didn't shoot free throws well at all (4-8), ala Derrick Rose in 2008. Yeah, I went there.
C) Patrick Patterson has NO business shooting 3s. Not even 1. So to prove me wrong...he shot 4. And missed all 4. Well predicted, me.

4) Michigan State/Tennessee and Duke/Baylor today for the two remaining Final Four slots. Who told you not to doubt Izzo (going for 6 Final Fours in 12 years)? Oh yeah, ME!!! Who won't have even 1 Final Four team correct from his "Sheet of Integrity"? Oh yeah, ME!!!

5) Go Baylor. Duh.

Video of the Week: Can somebody PLEASE tell Optimus Prime to shutup so I can hear Meyer pretend he's a bad@ss???

Credit: YouTube.com [UFSoftballFan]

I only hope Meyer doesn't threaten to ban PHSports from Gator practices now...

Time to pretend I'm still not bumming...over a game.

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

Extending to a final (extra day) in which I took a detailed look at each of the four regionals for this weekend's upcoming NCAA Tournament action.

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
South = Early Wednesday (aka BELOW)

Darryl Bryant, now out for the remainder of the season after suffering a broken foot, and the Mountaineers got their due yesterday. Added pressure to Joe Mazzulla now, of course.
Credit: WVUMountaineersports.com

South Region:

#1 Duke vs. #4 Purdue

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Duke QUESTION: Coach K won't let this team underestimate Purdue's talent. Question is, is Duke capable of winning a tightly contested game in this tournament? Fortunately, due to the sad state of their region, the Dookies may not need to have a close game for another weekend. (Sigh)

Duke X-FACTOR: Two early (chippy) fouls on Jorge Guitierrez hurt Cal as Scheyer became more relaxed and comfortable. One of the best in the country at doing it, how does Duke get some of the more talented Boilermakers off of the court and into foul trouble. I'm looking at you Johnson, Moore, and Kramer.

Blue Devil I'm Watching: Alright. I finally am going make a stand. Is this the game where Brian Zoubek overreaches his boundaries? Crash the boards and set screens is all he has to do. Even sans Hummel, can Purdue get the Dookie big man to committ some careless fouls and open up a few and-1s?

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Purdue QUESTION: Question is, how do Moore and Johnson dominate in the paint without committing ticky-tack fouls? Believe me, I'm not beating a dead drum when I talk about the Dookies and their opponents committing ticky tack fouls. If you disagree, check the tape. Any tape. As for the Boilermaker bigs, both can get foul happy and Duke takes more charges - fair or flop - than anyone in the country (times 9,787). That means the Boilermaker big men might have to give up a layup or two or take a deeper jumper than expected...all in the name of avoiding the nickle-dimer.

Purdue X-FACTOR: They've been doubted about 15 seconds after Hummel went down with the ACL tear. So why should they care what the odds are against them? Duke hasn't beat a legit team in the tournament in years and the Boilermakers made the Sweet Sixteen last year (before bowing out in the West to #1 seed UCONN). This team has nothing to lose. Embrace the suck and shock the world.

Boilermaker I'm Watching: Chris Kramer is all heart. Shane Falco-heart. I just like watching the kid play.

#3 Baylor vs. #10 St. Mary's

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Baylor QUESTION: They have one thing Villanova had (athleticism) and one they sorely lacked (size and length). So question is, how do they use that to attack Omar Samhan and put the big man - perhaps the star of the first weekend not named Ali (STONES!) on the bench in foul trouble?

Baylor X-FACTOR: Houston. Forget everything else. I've heard about two locations more than any other: BYU in Salt Laker City and Baylor in Houston. Since the Cougars have said bye-bye, I want to see if the Bears gain enough of an advantage - playing in Houston - to be noticed.

Bear I'm Watching: I'd be lying if I told you I'd seen a lot of Baylor this year. In fact, you can count the fingers on one of my hands and divide by two and get the number. Nevertheless, with a name like LaceDarius Dunn, how can your eyes not jump out of the box score. Nearly 20 points a game out of the Big XII ain't too shabby either. It's time to see what the junior can do. All the attention can't go to (Kansas State's) Jacob Pullen, right?

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

St. Mary's QUESTION: Question is, how do you avoid an early letdown in the first game of the second weekend...after a flawless opening tilt? The Gaels are confident, brash, and cocky. Who can blame them? However, we've all see more than our fair share of teams who were the darlings of the opening weekend, only to flame out with crushing 20+-point defeats. The Gaels don't need to start out on fire, but they can't fall behind early. A back-and-forth pace is exatly what this team needs. Sometimes staying on your toes for 40-minutes, isn't such a bad strategy.

St. Mary's X-FACTOR: Watch the game tape of Sam Houston State's defensive scheme against Baylor, as well as the opening 10 minutes of the second half from ODU against the Bears. Now, craft your defensive strategy as such. Both of Baylor's opponents were able to find - if only for a portion of a half - something that worked. Combine that with a more potent offense and a talented big man, and St. Mary's has a shot.

Gael I'm Watching: If you want me to say a name besides Omar Samhan, you haven't been watching this tournament. Come on, you're better than that.

PHSports Sweet 16 Preview

Last weekend, we saw very few upsets in the 1st round and none in the 2nd round. This weekend, we see the most “chalk” matchups in recent tournament history.

West Region
#1 UConn v. #5 Purdue

From laptops, to suspensions, to torn ACLs, to MOP of the West Region? Could happen.
Credit: TampaBay.com

A day after the news of an alleged recruiting violation hits the airwaves, UConn must step onto the court for a crucial showdown against Purdue, who is no pushover now that they are finally healthy. The Boilers will need to make up for their size and rebounding gap (UConn has a +8.3 rpg margin while Purdue has a -0.3 margin) with good decision making and shooting.

Keys to Victory for UConn
1. Outphysical (not a word) Purdue and pound them on the boards
2. Alter shots and force the Boilers to settle on the perimeter
3. Get JaJuan Johnson and Nemanja Calasan into early foul trouble

Keys to Victory for Purdue
1. Hit mid- and long-range jump shots early to pull Thabeet away from the basket (a la Notre Dame)
2. Protect the ball (+3.5 turnover margin per game)
3. Have Chris Kramer glove AJ Price

Prediction: UConn, 67-62

#2 Memphis v. #3 Missouri
To date, Memphis has not met a team who likes to play the Tigers at their own game. That changes tonight. In Missouri, you have a team that averages 18.5 assists per contest and has two ball handlers who have an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.5 or better. In Memphis, you have a team that defends among the best in recent college basketball memory (opponents shoot 36% and 29% from three-point range).

Keys to Victory for Memphis
1. Put their stamp on the game via defensive will
2. Collect offensive rebounds en route to 2nd-chance points
3. Defend the perimeter

Keys to Victory for Missouri
1. Put pressure on Tyreke Evans
2. Hit 3-point shots early and set the press
3. Attack Memphis’s bigs

Prediction: Missouri, 67-61


East Region
#1 Pittsburgh v. #4 Xavier
This matchup pits two of the best rebounding teams in the nation. Pitt and Xavier have rebounding margins of +9.8 and +8.4 per game, respectively. While Xavier does not want a street fight, they are not afraid of one like most of Pitt’s competition. One final key stat to think about: Pitt’s assist-to-turnover ratio is 1.5 while Xavier’s is 0.9.

Keys to Victory for Pittsburgh
1. 2nd-chance points
2. Domination at the point → easy opportunities in the low post
3. Keep DeJuan Blair and Sam Young out of foul trouble

Keys to Victory for Xavier
1. Use slashing cuts
2. Hit (39.9% as a team) & defend (33.2% against) the trifecta
3. Get DeJuan Blair into foul trouble

Prediction: Pittsburgh, 74-65

#2 Duke v. #3 Villanova

Assuming Dante Cunningham is the constant, which of the countless Villanova role players will take their turn and step up for Jay Wright's Cats?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

This is another strength versus strength matchup in the East Region. Both teams have multiple good ball handlers and both teams average 8 or more steals per game.

Keys to Victory for Duke
1. Covet the ball
2. Provide help-side defense on dribble drives
3. Singler/Henderson must stay out of foul trouble

Keys to Victory for Villanova
1. Get to the charity stripe early & often
2. Get the Coreys going
3. Force Duke to settle for deep shots

Prediction: 71-67, Villanova

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!!!!