Mid-Majors Matter Too!!!

Be sure to check in here at PHSports and the Twitter site (Tweet Tweet) for plenty of post-NBA draft analysis.

If you're looking for retrospect on some BUSTS (and booms) of the past 10 NBA draft, check out my latest offering...until this.

Now for a little love-fest, VCU, CAA, & mid-major style...

Eric Maynor didn't have to play in a power conference to get drafted -- in the first round at that. He didn't need face time on the tube. It just proves that if you have talent, the NBA will find you, Gary Parrish says.

Credit: CBSSports.com

The article reads...
"Can't Hide Skill"

If you want to play for a national title, go to North Carolina.
That's a good way to get a championship.
If you want to play on national television, go to Kentucky.
That's a good way to get on TV.

But what Thursday night's NBA Draft proved -- once again -- is that the best and quickest way to David Stern's league isn't necessarily through the best and biggest conferences. Oh sure, that's one of the recruiting pitches BCS-affiliated coaches use, and I'd probably use it too if I were them. But whether it was Stephen Curry (from the Southern Conference) or Eric Maynor (from the Colonial) or some dude from another country few of us have ever seen, the reminder from Madison Square Garden was that the NBA will find you if you can play, and it doesn't really matter where you play.

It's not all a love fest though, although you have to wonder if the grade is more about the selection than the player.

Fortunately, Utah doesn’t seem shy about their positive reaction towards their selection at #20.

Although this is somewhat humorous...
During the interview, Maynor passed along a "hello" to coach Jerry Sloan from his father, George, a former East Carolina player who was cut in training camp by the Chicago Bulls -- when they were coached by Sloan. Sloan didn't make the connection until the younger Maynor told him. "Let's not talk about that," Sloan chuckled during the news conference. "I guess I cut his dad when I was coaching in Chicago."

A 6-foot-3, 164 pound pure point guard, Maynor played all four years of college ball. ESPN's Jay Bilas says Maynor is "a true point guard … has a great feel for the game. Superior change of pace and change of direction, a great leader, runs the pick and roll to perfection. Very old-school." Credit: KSL.com

ESPN's expert Chad Ford says, "I thought they might go with Sam Young here, but I have to admit that I love this pick for the Jazz. They needed a backup for Deron Williams, and Maynor is perfect for Utah as one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft. He has a high basketball IQ and great leadership qualities. The Jazz fill a need and get a guy that I think is the most underrated player in the draft."

Don't worry Pay, GMU gets some pub in this article...
Just consider the scouting report on the Jazz's newest draft pick from George Mason coach Jim Larranaga, who had a spot in the NCAA Tournament swiped by Maynor in the last two minutes of the 2007 CAA Championship Game.

"A player like Eric has the ability at both ends of the floor to do things that I don't think a lot of players even think about," Larranaga said. "When I talk about Eric, I often say he's like a magician ... and he made us disappear."

Well said. Well said.

InClement Weather: Wednesday Night College Basketball Thoughts...

Ten Thoughts on a Wednesday night...stretched out just a bit.
Yes, even while watching Lost and being more confused than ever before...and still LOVING it.

Don't let the face fool you, I firmly believe Tech walked into their matchup tonight expecting to win. Funny how often you do win with an attitude like that.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

1) Jeff Teague and Wake Forest will no longer remain #1. Not unless about six or seven teams fall too a crazy string of upsets this week(end). It should come as no surprise though, as the life of a college basketball #1 is always week-by-week at best.

2) Virginia Tech, winners of their last 4 of 5 against the Deacs, went into Winston-Salem and walked out 78-71 victors.

3) Jumping out to an early lead, the Hokies combined timely three-point shooting with an aggresive temperment on the boards to lead by as many as 13 in the first half. What had to surprise Wake most was the depths the Hokies went to allow them to come back into the game; especially during three or four stretches in the second half. Missing free throws left and right and not cleaning up on the defensive glass, the Hokies allowed Wake an opportunity to have the ball down only 2. An inability to box out on poor Tech shots and, on their own poor possessions, kick out before driving to the hoop with a little too much steam cost Wake dearly down the stretch. Len "Troy Bell Sr." Elmore might've noticed the most disturbing trend too: Jeff Teague was passive and far too quiet, due to his own inability to demand the ball, in the closing ten minutes.

4) Perhaps the Naismith frontrunner at this point, Teague appeared a little "pouty" according to Elmore. While his teammates were quite frustrating at times with silly fouls and a lack of control (especially with those aforementioned drives to the hoop), Teague passed up several shots late and almost seemed unwanting of the ball in the final possessions. Not a good trend to say the least for one of the nation's most talented playmakers at any position.

5) While that reason can't be divulged as without Teague's input, it did question my faith in Wake Forest in the following:
A) Close games
B) After slow starts
C) Without an inside presence to depend on
The same could be asked of all top tier teams; however, Wake's first blemish - especially at home - did open up some important questions.

6) As for the Hokie-side of things, it goes without saying how HUGE this W is; especially for a 5-loss team. While they have some iffy non-conference losses, the ACC will offer up plenty of opportunities for big time Ws. Let me also state a clear-cut fact: Tech won this game MUCH more than "Mistake" Forest lost it.

7) Unfortunately for the Hokies, due to the strength at the top of the ACC, their worst-case scenario isn't tough to decipher. See Maryland last year after their front-page news upset (on the road, unranked, against an undefeated UNC team) and then see how they faltered late time and time again and even when possessing the most impressive single-win of the year, it wasn't impressive enough come March Madness. In fact, it wasn't close. I have to wonder how much that home loss to Georgia might hurt the Hokies too. Just something to think about, raining on the parade of a team's top effort of the year. My bad.

...after seeing Sayid toss a guy off of a two-story balcony to imminent death (with the amazingly viscous back-breaking sound effects on the side), I'll note three other "affairs" of importance to me...

Outside of Jack Bauer, this is TV's most badassed man.
Credit: Wikipedia.org

8) Believe it or not, there are "mid-major stories" out there that don't involve Stephen Curry and Davidson. SHOCK and GASP! While this website has an obvious bias towards the CAA-side of things, it doesn't go without reason. Tonight was an important night for the conference:
A) George Mason fell from the top perch with a 58-57 loss at Northeastern.
B) Both are joined at 7-1 with red hot VCU, who after a rough loss at Delaware two weeks ago, has reeled off six impressive conference victories, although tonight's 5-12 Georgia State team doesn't exactly scream "road test".
C) The true test for Anthony Grant, Eric Maynor, and the Rams will come when the Patriots - who play notoriously well in Richmond (both the Siegel Center and the Collesium) - come marching in Saturday afternoon at 4pm.
Some advice: buy tickets and go if you are affiliated in any way with either school OR figure out when it's on television and watch a truly stellar conference rivalry play out. Sadly, they don't double dip each year like they SHOULD.

9) Northwestern upset Michigan State on the road, South Carolina likely took Florida back out of the rankings on some last-second hoopla, UCONN held off a feisty Villanova team in their hideous gray jerseys, UNC will one day be 100-0 against Clemson at home, and Memphis is going to steamroll through Conference USA and really confuse "bracketeers" come March.

10) Watch college basketball. I can try and inspire you. But I deleted that diatribe. Just watch it. It's awesome.

Tonight's victory will (likely) overshadow their early season's top highlight.

NBA Mock Draft - Version 1.0

The college basketball season is off to a fast start with more high-profile matchups than I can remember in recent memory. While some (BJ Mullens, Demar DeRozan, Connor Atchley) have struggled out of the gate, others (Cole Aldrich, Gani Lawal) have flourished in new, expanded roles.

As you will note, this is a 1-round draft. Please note that I have omitted a number of players. I may include them in future versions upon further research. Also, unlike MOST mock drafts, nearly all picks here are based on perceived need.

Omissions
* Victor Claver: Originally tabbed as the 12th pick to Milwaukee, Claver suffered a fracture in his left leg earlier this month. His recovery time is expected to be five months, which may thwart his ability to break into the lottery this year.

* Potential 1st-year phenoms (e.g. Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, Devin Ebanks, Willie Warren, Scotty Hopson, Samardo Samuels, Tony Woods, Ed Davis, JaMychal Green, Kemba Walker, etc.): To be frank, I have not seen enough of these players (except Ebanks, who I was vastly impressed with last night against Davidson) to make a solid judgment.

So, who did I leave out? Who did I overrate?

Feel free to comment on this post or write to me (phashemi@gmail.com).

The draft order below is based on records ending on December 5, 2008.

********
1. Oklahoma City. Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma. The quintessential power forward, Griffin scores in bunches, fights for every rebound, plays steady man-to-man defense and goes after loose balls. Griffin takes a beating every game, so GMs will examine his health and free throw shooting with a fine tooth comb.

2. LA Clippers. Hasheem Thabeet, C, UConn. Rumors are abound that Chris Kaman is on the trade block, and Marcus Camby isn’t getting any younger. It’s a toss-up between Thabeet’s ability to block a few shots per game and alter many more versus the unfulfilled potential of BJ Mullens.

3. Washington. BJ Mullens, C, Ohio State. I don’t like this pick at all, because the Bullets (yes, that’s what I call them) invested last season’s 1st round pick on JaVale McGee. However, despite struggling early on, Mullens should improve his conditioning and begin to live up to his lofty standards. If not, don’t be surprised if the Bullets select Greg Monroe from Georgetown.

4. Minnesota. James Harden, SG, Arizona State. In a position to select the best player available, Harden is an immediate impact player at the 2. Despite being a tremendous scorer, Harden has shown unselfishness. His stock may drop as a result of limited foot speed. If Minnesota loses all patience with their point guards, Ricky Rubio is an option.

5. Sacramento. Ricky Rubio, PG, DKV Joventut. In need of a dominating force inside, there just isn’t one available at this point. Set at the SG (Martin, Garcia) and SF (Salmons, Greene) positions, the Kings go after the internationally proven floor general.

6. Memphis. Al-Farouq Aminu, SF, Wake Forest. The Grizz continue to stockpile their roster with versatile, agile players who can create mismatches at the drop of a dime. Aminu is no exception. DeRozan earns heavy consideration for this pick, though his game has been described as similar to that of OJ Mayo.

7. Golden State. Greg Monroe, PF, Georgetown. Monroe has plenty to prove, but the Warriors have to like his frame, skill set and desire. Especially after trading Al Harrington, it’s imperative for the Warriors to cultivate this youngster in the blocks.

8. Indiana. Cole Aldrich, PF/C, Kansas. I’ll admit it. When Aldrich played last season, I thought he looked lost. Furthermore, I was critical of his performance, especially at the offensive end. Though he has plenty to develop, Aldrich has been dominant on the interior and fleet of foot. This is perhaps the highest that Aldrich may be selected.

9. Charlotte. Damion James, SF/PF, Texas. The wiry James has among the best inside/outside games in all of college basketball. His ability to run up and down the floor makes him a great fit for the changing NBA. Though undersized at the 4, he has proven that he mix it up with the bigs.

10. Chicago. Demar DeRozan, SG/SF, USC. Since they are on the verge of losing Ben Gordon, the Bulls need a dynamic scorer. DeRozan can do that and much more, but he needs to become more consistent. This pick can turn into Stephen Curry if DeRozan continues to struggle.

11. New York. Stephen Curry, PG/SG, Davidson. There’s one thing I love about Mike D’Antoni. He doesn’t discriminate talent. Stephen Curry has proven against the best competition that he is worthy of playing at the next level. For a scorer, Curry’s shot selection is excellent, and he’s a better defender than anyone gives him credit for.

12. Milwaukee. Gani Lawal, PF, Georgia Tech. Lawal is still very much a raw talent. A bit of a reach, Scott Skiles may opt for an even larger reach by selecting a one-dimensional project big who is a specialist on the defensive end.

13. Toronto. Raymar Morgan, SG/SF, Michigan State. I’m no expert on the Raptors, but they lack the type of guard who can slash to the bucket, take fouls, and create easy hoops for Chris Bosh and Jermaine O’Neal. With the right coach, Morgan can be an All-Star. Earl Clark, DaJuan Summers, Tyler Smith, Sam Young or Jody Meeks may also receive consideration.

14. Philadelphia. Chase Budinger, SG/SF, Arizona. Since trading Kyle Korver, the Sixers haven’t filled the shooting void. Budinger can shoot (not like Korver) and is an offensive dynamo.

15. Minnesota (from Miami). Brandon Jennings, PG, Lottomatica Roma. At pick #15, Jennings is too good a value not to be taken. He’s a prototypical point guard, but needs to add muscle mass.

16. Phoenix. Earl Clark, SF, Louisville. Clark’s unselfish nature and ability to contribute without scoring make him a huge asset for any team. Versatility is a strength, but Clark can continue to develop his mid-range and deep game.

17. New Jersey. Gerald Henderson, SG, Duke. Henderson’s athleticism and versatility make him an asset. He’ll need to become a better shooter, but he’ll flourish in an open-court set.

18. Oklahoma City (from San Antonio). Jarvis Varnado, PF, Mississippi State. The Thunder needs a defensive presence to complement the selection of Blake Griffin. Varnado averages over 6 blocks per game despite a lanky frame and his offensive game has seen improvement.

19. Dallas. Ty Lawson, PG, North Carolina. After an injury set him back, Lawson has shown that he’s healthy. He’s not only healthy, but he’s shown commitment to defense. After JKidd is no more, Lawson has the smarts and ability to take over.

20. Detroit. Eric Maynor, PG, Virginia Commonwealth. Maynor has battled turnovers in this young season, but he can create his own shot and find teammates. A gritty defender who sometimes takes too many chances.

21. New Orleans. Tyler Hansbrough, PF, North Carolina. Known for his work ethic and will to win, Hansbrough fits into any winning team’s lineup. Psycho T will add a much-needed scoring element to the Hornets frontline.

22. Utah. DaJuan Summers, SF, Georgetown. Summers is a multi-talented wing who can do all of the essentials. Though he has yet to put it all together, Summers has shown that he’s coachable.

23. Denver. Luke Harangody, PF, Notre Dame. Though Harangody looks like, well, an unathletic white guy, he can run the floor better than most NBA players who are his size. Having an eye for the hoop, he can also rebound and shoot better than most.

24. Atlanta. Patrick Mills, PG, Saint Mary’s. Mills came onto the scene early last season against Oregon. He did superstardom in the Olympics with the Australian National Team. Precocious with a desire for improvement, Mills still can grow in shot selection.

25. Sacramento (from Houston). Patrick Patterson, PF, Kentucky. Patterson hasn’t quite shown the form he had last year prior to his season-ending injury. Though his stock has dropped since the season started, he remains one of the best players in the sophomore class.

26. Portland. Kyle Singler, SF, Duke. An excellent shooter, Singler bulked off this offseason to withstand the rigors of the ACC. If Singler continues to show muscle inside, expect him to realistically consider leaving school after this season.

27. Orlando. Jonny Flynn, PG, Syracuse. A 6’0” point guard on a good day, Flynn forgets that on the court and penetrates defenses. He shot 46% from the field last season, is up to 55% this season and took 46 free throws in his team’s four toughest games this season.

28. Cleveland. Connor Atchley, PF/C, Texas. The selection of JJ Hickson was the first step in replenishing an aging frontline. Atchley is a great fit for Cleveland, because he can place his mark on a game without having to take many shots.

29. LA Lakers. Tyler Smith, SF, Tennessee. Long, athletic and fearless. Those are the characteristics that can make Tyler Smith SEC Player of the Year and a lottery pick. What’s holding Smith back? An iffy jump shot and occasionally being too unselfish.

30. Minnesota (from Boston). Sam Young, SF, Pittsburgh. A multi-talented forward, Sam Young has shown dramatic improvement since arriving onto the scene at Pittsburgh. Despite that steady increase in productivity, Young still needs to be more judicious with the ball and shoot better from the charity stripe.

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…

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

Home Cookin': Ram-Style

Note: It's rare, even in brief passing, that VCU is in any sporting headlines (outside of Richmond). Combine that with my beloved Jets, and a personal pop is needed to spread some surprisingly refreshing news.

The New York Jets signed five free agents Tuesday, including former Virginia Commonwealth basketball star Jesse Pellot-Rosa.

Another Duke-beater just trying to make it in the world.
Credit: VCU.edu

Pellot-Rosa, who tried out at wide receiver, helped lead the Rams to a Colonial Athletic Association title and a first-round upset of Duke in the NCAA tournament in March. He averaged 13.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and shot over 42 percent from 3-point range last season.

Pellot-Rosa last played organized football in high school. He was recruited by Tennessee, Alabama and Virginia to play football, but chose to play basketball at VCU, which doesn't have a football team.

"I love to play football just like I love to play basketball," Pellot-Rosa said during minicamp. "They are equal to me. I love to play both, and it's been like that since I was a kid -- you go out
on the playground and love to play. It didn't really matter whether it was basketball or football. I would play either one."

George Mason's Jai Lewis had a similar chance following his team's miracle run in 2006, but was not signed, with the New York Giants.

I'll be interested to see how long Jesse does or doesn't last. But for now, I bet he's smiling every minute of the way.

Until next time...

So Long and Thanks for the Memories...

So it wasn't George Mason: Part Deux.
Truth be told: nothing ever will be.

Fortunately, almost every year there's a story or two to be told that's special in its own right. As for this year, there is too much drama to imagine left to unfold.

Yet, clearly the BEST story of the first weekend of the tournament had to be the CAA Champion VCU Rams. Whether it was their defeat of the almighty Duke, behind the gutsy sophomore named Eric Maynor, or their near-miraculous comeback against Pitt led by guys named BA and Jesse (down 15 at the half and 19 in the second half)...the Rams were the surprising talk of the first weekend of the tournament more often than not.

And to think that if they hadn't somehow escaped Richmond with the CAA title, and a narrow defeat against George Mason of all people...they probably would've had their bubble burst.

So for all of you people constantly saying: "Any mid-major in America would finish dead-last in a major conference..." SHUTUP! SHUTUP now and forever.

Tell that same garbage to Wisconsin who lost to a Mountain West team called UNLV. Tell that to Notre Dame who lost to the Big South's Winthrop. Tell that to anyone who loses to 'mid-majors' like Butler and Southern Illinois. You think Michigan State, North Carolina, and UCONN think that way after George Mason's run last year? You think even Florida thought that?

How about you Dukies ask Coach K what he thinks. [That is, if he ever stops sobbing like a little girl with a skinned knee and 10 high-school All-Americans who had some bad luck.]

Sure, I attend VCU. What gave that away? Of course I am biased. But I also know a great story when I see one. Even if it's barely a weekend long...

Check out this link for a sappy, cliched, corny, and still poignant article about the Rams and their NCAA Tournament weekend. Props also go out to schools like Winthrop, Texas A&M CC, Wright State, and Davidson. Whether in victory or defeat...you helped mid-majors matter. Even if for 5 seconds for every major's 5 hours of press time.

Props to Pitt for the W. But everyone knows...you aren't nearly as welcome as we would've been to continue dancing.

It's nice when names like Fameni, Roland, Shuler and Pellot-Rosa get some press.
Not every team survives somehow with half-a-dozen
blue chip All-Americans, boosters with fat cash to pad a program,
and fat bank rolls to keep talented coaches in one place.

Running Commentary for Saturday's Games

Note: Clement stepping in for Pay...just for today.

2:00 pm Late start after a late lunch for me. Ohio State leading 29 to 25 at the half. Ugly shooting to open the game with both teams under 25% in the opening ten minutes. Oden out of foul trouble at the moment; however, he's clearly rushing shots and appears frustrated on offense.

2:45 pm Xavier on a furious run of incredible shot-making. They are leading 55-44 and the first #1-seed is officially on the ropes. Oden with 4 fouls and now it's time for Conley Jr./Lewis/Cook and co. to start making smart shots or the #1 team in the country is TKO'd.

3:14 pm Ron Lewis just capped an incredible comback by the Buckeyes with a 3-pointer with 2 seconds to go to tie the game at 62. Should they have fouled him before he released the near 27-footer? Overtime is upon us...

3:30 pm Following an early Musketeer basket, Conley Jr. drains an open three for the first of his 11 overtime points, 7 of which were unanswered, to give the Buckeyes the lead and the eventual win. The Buckeyes escape Lexington and are the first official entrant to advance to the Sweet 16, despite a valiant effort from the kids at Xavier.

5:00 pm – Things may be getting chippy between the Terps and Bulldogs in the second half. Both teams flopping quite a bit. Meanwhile, A&M and Louisville tied at 28-28 at the half in a quiet game.

5:23 pm – Horrid charging call on DJ Strawberry with 39 seconds to go, preventing the Terps a golden opportunity for a tie. Maryland decided not to foul, Graves with a beautiful pass but a missed three. However, Butler grabs the loose ball and is fouled with less than 4 seconds left. 1 of 2 free throws are made. Crone tips an in-bound and then a second in-bound, with less than .7 left, results in a loose ball that Jones can’t corral. Butler advances to the Sweet Sixteen in one of the better second-round games of the past few tournaments. Time to turn out attention to the Cardinals & Aggies

5:50 pm – A&M leads 50-46 with Law (19) and Kirk (14) battling Sosa (22) as we enter under 12-minutes. Georgetown just tipped with BC and ditto Vandy/Wash. St.

6:00 pm – VCU tips off with Pitt finally. Early baskets for Aaron Gray and BA Walker.

6:20 pm – They’ve called it “snowy” Buffalo a sickening amount of times. Kevin Harlan terrible on the mic as usual. Not having the package from DirecTV is brutal. A&M trails Louisville with 1 minute to go 69-68. Far too many whistles all game long, consistent or not. BC has taken the lead for the first time on G-Town 24-21 under 6 minutes. VCU trails 24-17 as their lack of size and strength is apparent today.

6:25 pm – Deep three missed from Sosa and a Pompay loose ball rebound ends up in Law’s hands with 1.7 seconds left. Not the best three attempt from Sosa that hits the front of the rim. Law IV sinks the first free throw. 71-69. Second one coming. No timeout left for Louisville. A few subs enter. Second free throw is good [26 points for Law now]. Sosa’s heave from half-court is no-good as it hits the top of the backboard. A&M advances to the Sweet Sixteen to face the winner of Nevada/Memphis on Sunday.

6:30 pm – Pitt looks real strong against VCU, who after a 5-8 start is 2 of their last 15 from the field. Pitt takes a 29-19 lead with a little over 5 minutes to go. Poor subs by Grant and a lack of execution on offense seems apparent. Shuler’s deep three cuts it to 7. BC leads Georgetown 30-26 at the half [Dudley with 10 and Rice with 12 while Hibbert and Green have 2 fouls each] AND Washington State, behind Low's 10 points, with a 33-25 halftime lead.

6:48 pm - VCU completely outsized and outmatched by Pitt, who leads 41-26. Rebounding is decidedly with the Panthers who are shooting well over 50%. Grant can't find a quick-fix and hot-headed Maynor had an early technical. He won't allow bigger name schools to push him around, even though the refs always do to mid-majors not named Gonzaga. Meanwhile, VCU is stangnant with the ball shooting 31% (including 2-9 from 3-point territory). Aaron Gray has been solid and Pitt has been very physical inside the paint. Fameni is clearly affected with the broken nose and mask. VCU will need a miracle second-half run to have any chance of not losing by double-digits at this rate.

7:33 pm – Status check: Georgetown holding on against BC 54 to 52 with 3 minutes to go. Vanderbilt trails Washington State 59 to 57 with 2 and change. Pitt had the lead at 19 and it is now 13 after Graves picks up his fourth foul at the 10:10 mark. VCU needs key plays and shots from its backcourt and to continue its successful press. Huge miss by BA Walker after a steal. Kendall playing extremely well.

7:40 pm – Byars with a contested layup miss and Washington State has the ball in a 60-60 game with 24.1 left. Washington State hasn’t scored a field goal in over 7 minutes. VCU trails 10 at the under-8 timeout with Maynor shooting 2 free throws. Georgetown has pulled away from BC with 14 seconds left.

7:41 pm – Georgetown victorious 62-55 and advances to the Sweet Sixteen. Weaver stone-cold bricks a top-corner three with 3 seconds to go for WASU. Byars calls a timeout and the officials are searching to find how much time is on the clock. Vandy should get a second for a final prayer before overtime.

...things get a little crazy here with both games...

7:43 pm - Maynor strokes two free throws and its 58-50 with 6:45 left. Pitt returns with 4 straight to push it back to 12. Time is running OUT for the Rams. 0.5 seconds left for Vandy and the pass sails out of bounds after brief contact with a Cougar. OVERTIME.

7:50 pm – 5 minutes to go and an 11-point Pitt lead. Pellot-Rosa deep three takes it down to 8. 5 seconds again called against Pitt. They aren’t saved by a 'timeout-call' this time. 4:46 left. BA for 3 and its 63-58. Harlan finally acknowledges VCU talent outside of Maynor (who is struggling mightily).

7:58 pm – Tie game in Sacramento. Vanderbilt and Washington State tied at 60. 8.7 seconds to go and its Commodore basketball. My sleeper pick is oh so close to a big upset tonight. Turnover to the Cougars on the in-bound and an amazing block by Byars on a layup attempt the other way! Oh my! 1.2 seconds left for Vandy at mid-court. Could we be at double-overtime? Shades of Gonzaga/Arizona from 2003 are dancing through my head. Timeout Vandy.

7:59 pm – Pellot-Rosa with a crazy reverse layup. Might’ve turned an ankle. Pitt up only 3. Meanwhile, Vandy almost turns the ball over. GREAT no-call. How much time is left? 0.01? Sloppy work. Byars almost worked a foul call. But again, a great no-call by the refs (no Al Thornton-esque moments needed). VCU on a 30-14 run when it was once 51-32.

8:00 pm - BA Walker pulls up with an amazing deep three from the top of the key. If it was Pitt, Harlan would’ve said, “Right between the eyes!” TIE-GAME! TIE-GAME! 67-67 at 1:40 off of another turnover. Oh My Oh My! Anthony Grant is HYPED to say the very least.

8:03 pm – Double overtime for Vandy and Washington State. Instant Classic in the works…

8:04 pm –Chants of “VCU” finally emanating from the crowd. Maynor brings the ball up…

8:05 pm – Pellot-Rosa with a man’s rebound and a stronger put-back. RAM LEAD by 2. Sam Young pretty breakaway layup to tie it, the press got bit. Just like against Duke with Nelson. Shucks. 47 seconds left. Ram ball. Panthers pick up loose ball with 19 off a Pellot-Rosa 3-point miss. Sloppy and rushed shot. Dang. 10 seconds. Foul call with 2 seconds left. Minor contact after the shot. Odd call. Check that: bad call. 2 shots. Anderson blocked it before the foul. Tough tough call with 2 ticks left against Pellot-Rosa who got a little hand after the ball was released and the shooter was comin' down. VCU would’ve had a breakaway, potentially 3 on 1. Imagine. Just imagine if the call went against a Duke, UNC, Syracuse, or UCLA. Imagine the ATTENTION it might get…

8:06 pm – First shot is no good. Second shot…no good as well! Pitt offensive rebound. Jump ball call, it seems as the clock expires. Overtime…apparently. Apparently. Pitt wants 0.2 seconds or so on the clock. Refs checking the clock. Overtime it is.

8:11 pm – Vanderbilt upsets Washington State 78 to 74. A 3-seed is down. Could another be on the way? Probably not, but we’ll watch, hope, and pray anyways…

8:12 pm - Pitt up 4. Fields with the craziest of threes. You knew it would go in with the clock down to 3 and a wild shot being ready to be flung from behind the arc. Pro Pitt-commentators ecstatic for him. Dixon looks so unnerved on the sidelines still.

8:15 pm – Fameni tanks a 18-footer. Horrid execution. Things are getting scary near the 2-minute mark for VCU. Will Pitt score on every OT possession? Ramon 3. Pitt is unstoppable in OT thus far. Up 7 at78-71. Figures. Figures…

8:20 pm – MSU tips off with UNC. Beware of the evil that is Izzo.

8:21 pm –VCU is desperate to say the least. Layup by Pellot-Rosa with 1:15 left to cut it to 5. Pitt breaks the press as we go under a minute.

8:23 pm – Shot clock ticking down. Maynor rebound and down to Shuler. Down 3 at 80-77 off of a Shuler layup off of his own miss. Commercial time. “This is our country” Chevy commercials plagued the NFL Playoffs and continue now. I’d do a lot of harm to the advertising team who created this slogan. I honestly would.

8:25 pm –Pellot-Rosa was scoreless in the 1^st half. He has 17 in the second half. Anderson foul on Young. He bricks the first. Can VCU back out? Possession arrow to VCU. Second free throw…missed. Maynor with a pretty layup after driving to the hoop with relative ease. 1-point game with 22.6 left. I wonder if a kickout-3 might've been more effective, despite all the time. Very close to a steal with 4 guys surrounding Cook. Correct foul call. Pitt up 1 at 80-79. Foul after a good press attempt, Cook drains the first. Kendall can’t look…he’s on the bench b/c he fouled out. Chicken. Second free throw…is good. 3-point game. 19.1 left. Now they make them...

8:26 pm – Brick from Walker at the top of the key. Anderson tips it out near half-court, somehow to a Pitt player and over two Rams it appeared. Foul on Walker. It’s over. Walker’s shot just wasn’t right. I wish Pellot-Rosa had a look, as Walker off of the screen isn’t as strong as Walker straight-up or Jesse creating his own shot.

8:29 pm – Young back at the line. Makes the first and second. 5-point game. Somebody call LJ. And whoever fouled him. Miss by Walker. Pitt in the Sweet Sixteen. VCU better be a top 5 story of the tournament. Check that, top 3.

8:30 pm - One day mid-majors will get the benefit with better non-calls. That foul call at the end of regulation should’ve led to a block and a fast break for VCU. I will never forget that 30/70, not 50/50 call, going against us. I may be the only one. And if you think I’m bitter…I’ll monitor you closely for every close call you pine for after a game. Whoever you are.

8:48 pm - Great 3-point play by Hansbrough. He's going to get eaten for lunch with his post moves and shoulder leans in the NBA. Especially from Dwight Howard. Nevertheless, it's definitely working at UNC. 36-31 with both teams shooting well. Spartans 5-9 from 3-point land. UNC still seems a lock tonight with this pace. The Texas/USC winner has a ton of conditioning to do with Lawson upcoming. UCLA is about to get underway, I believe. Late tip to say the VERY least. See you at halftime...

9:04 pm - UCLA tips off with Indiana as they trade baskets. Meanwhile, UNC 41-33 at the half. Hansbrough with an IMPRESSIVE 19 points. Wow.

9:58 pm - UNC and Michigan State going back and forth. Lawson is lightning quick and the Spartans have a ton of guys in foul trouble. Meanwhile, Neitzel with a crazy drive to the hoop to get a 1-point lead. This feels a lot like Arizona/Gonzaga, especially with Dick Enberg calling the game, in 2003. I reference that twice today. State leads 59-58.

10:30 pm - Just too much NC late as they power past the pesky Spartans 81-67. Strong games for Hansbrough and Lawson. Just about everyone, outside of UNC & USC fans are hoping for Durant and co. to get past USC. I think...

11:00 pm - Despite a near miraculous comeback, Indiana falls short to UCLA mostly due to their own doing. Several missed free throws, a terrible turnover down 2 with 30 ticks left, and poor three-point shots took the Hoosiers down. UCLA 54 to 49 over Indiana. Night ova!