Best Game: Belmont vs Duke
Nobody expected the game to be as close and as exciting as it was and a lot of fans know Duke got away. Belmont played Duke wire to wire and the big question for Duke heading into their tilt with West Virginia tomorrow is can they find their defense? If they play the way Coach K wants and needs them too, then tomorrow should be a great game because if they play lackluster D once again, they could be in deep trouble.
Biggest Disappointment: Kent St. vs UNLV
Kent St. scored exactly ten points in the first half, TEN! They were blitzed from the get-go by a surprisingly good UNLV team. They came to play and despite some late buckets from the Golden Flashes, the game was a blowout. Kansas should not be looking past this team because they could get a run for their money.
Biggest Surprise: Kansas St. vs USC
Frank Martin out-coached Tim Floyd in what was a surprising double digit win for Beasley and co. He put Dominique Sutton on OJ Mayo and "Juice" looked all squeezed out by the time the game was over. Mayo got his 20 but his points were late and were non-factors. Beasley got his (23pts and 11reb) but it was Billy Walker's 22pts and KSU's team surge in the first half that led to the victory. A date with Wisconsin is up next, and that is a game that KSU could win.
GAMES TO WATCH SATURDAY:
(4) Pittsburgh vs (5) Michigan State 2 P.M.
You have to love this game because you have the fast paced offense of the Spartans against the slow down game of the Panthers. Pittsburgh is the hot team and the big question will be if MSU's role players like Raymar Morgan, Kalin Lucas, Chris Allen, etc can make up the slack if senior Drew Neitzel falters again. Pittsburgh is on fire and should march towards a show down in Houston with Memphis.
(4) Pittsburgh 74 vs (5) Michigan State 70
(3) Stanford vs (6) Marquette 3 P.M.
Size and quickness always make for a great matchup. Marquette's guards dueling with the seven-foot Lopez twins of Stanford. Both have experience and both can get after the ball. Stanford has the size but Marquette coach Tom Crean has been to a Final Four and has experience. Stanford may have to go small but if they force Marquette to go big, watch out.
(3) Stanford 70 vs (6) Marquette 62
(4) Washington State vs (5) Notre Dame 1 P.M.
Offense against defense yet again. Washington State, one of the best and most efficient defenses in the nation going up against the shooting of Kyle McAlarney and the down low scoring of Luke Harangody. If ND can hit their shots, WSU will have to play farther out and that would open up Harangody down low. ND can't play their opponents game because a slow down game is what the Cougars want. It will be difficult for WSU to play their way but fans in Denver should be getting a great game.
(4) Washington State 71 vs (5) Notre Dame 76
(3) Xavier vs (6) Purdue 4:40 P.M.
Not many people expected Purdue to be so good so fast because of their youth. Matt Painter's group is now entering uncharted territory and Xavier is up next. Purdue boasts a balanced scoring attack with several key freshman in E'Twan Moore, Robbie Hummel, JuJuan Johnson, and Scott Martin. Xavier will look to shut down the Boilermaker attack with their suffocating defense led by Stanley Burrell. His defensive play along with the leadership of Drew Lavender should push the Musketeers into the Sweet Sixteen.
(3) Xavier 64 vs (6) Purdue 57
THE NEXT FOUR:
(3) Wisconsin 67 vs (11) Kansas State 60
(1) Kansas 84 vs (8) UNLV 70
(1) UCLA 75 vs (9) Texas A&M 68
(2) Duke 82 vs (7) West Virginia 76
Friday, March 21, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Thursday Schedule and Games to Watch
WEST REGIONAL:
(1) UCLA VS MISS VALLEY ST (16)
(2) DUKE VS BELMONT (15)
(3) XAVIER VS GEORGIA (14)
(6) PURDUE VS BAYLOR (11)*
(7) WEST VIRGINIA VS ARIZONA (10)*
(8) BYU VS TEXAS A&M (9)*
MIDWEST REGIONAL:
(1) KANSAS VS PORTLAND ST. (16)
(3) WISCONSIN VS CAL ST FULLERTON (14)
(6) USC VS KANSAS ST. (11)*
(8) UNLV VS KENT ST. (9)*
SOUTH REGIONAL:
(3) STANFORD VS CORNELL (14)
(4) PITTSBURGH VS ORAL ROBERTS (13)
(5) MICH ST VS TEMPLE (12)*
(6) MARQUETTE VS KENTUCKY (11)*
EAST REGIONAL:
(4) WASHINGTON ST VS WINTHROP (13)
(5) NOTRE DAME VS GEORGE MASON (12)*
* MUST SEE GAMES
(1) UCLA VS MISS VALLEY ST (16)
(2) DUKE VS BELMONT (15)
(3) XAVIER VS GEORGIA (14)
(6) PURDUE VS BAYLOR (11)*
(7) WEST VIRGINIA VS ARIZONA (10)*
(8) BYU VS TEXAS A&M (9)*
MIDWEST REGIONAL:
(1) KANSAS VS PORTLAND ST. (16)
(3) WISCONSIN VS CAL ST FULLERTON (14)
(6) USC VS KANSAS ST. (11)*
(8) UNLV VS KENT ST. (9)*
SOUTH REGIONAL:
(3) STANFORD VS CORNELL (14)
(4) PITTSBURGH VS ORAL ROBERTS (13)
(5) MICH ST VS TEMPLE (12)*
(6) MARQUETTE VS KENTUCKY (11)*
EAST REGIONAL:
(4) WASHINGTON ST VS WINTHROP (13)
(5) NOTRE DAME VS GEORGE MASON (12)*
* MUST SEE GAMES
Final Four Prediction
Final Four: North Carolina vs Kansas, Texas vs UCLA.
National Championship: Kansas vs UCLA
National Champion: Kansas
Most Outstanding Player: Mario Chalmers G Kansas
National Championship: Kansas vs UCLA
National Champion: Kansas
Most Outstanding Player: Mario Chalmers G Kansas
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Bracket Breakdown: West Region
Top Four Seeds: UCLA, Duke, Xavier, Connecticut
Favorite: UCLA
Sleeper: Connecticut
Bracket Buster: Baylor
Best First Round Game: West Virginia vs Arizona
Upset Watch: Drake vs Western Kentucky
Best Player You Don't Know: Courtney Lee G Western Kentucky
The Bruins have the easiest road to San Antonio of the four number one seeds and it should be no surprise that barring a major upset, UCLA will most likely reach its third consecutive Final Four. Ben Howland is to the national championship game what John Calipari is to the Final Four; they just can't make that next step. The Bruins are loaded with everything. They have a heady lead man in Darren Collison, a versatile wing scorer in Russell Westbrook, and a beast inside with Pac-10 Player of the Year Kevin Love. Duke is the two seed in this region and have been great for most of the year but have been down recently. The only inside game from the Blue Devils is bench player Brian Zoubek. Duke's lack of an inside game has caught up with them but the experience of Coach K on the sideline could a major factor in the success they have this tournament. Xavier won the A-10 by three games but are relatively unknown to most fans. Stanley Burrell and Drew Lavender form a potent back-court that is equally on offense and defense. the up-and-down UCONN Huskies are the four seed and if they play up to their potential, a Sweet Sixteen matchup with UCLA should be in order. Watch out for Baylor as a possible Cinderella because of their ability to score and play up tempo. In the end, the Bruins have too much of everything.
Sweet Sixteen: UCLA, Connecticut, Baylor, Duke
Elite Eight: UCLA vs Duke
West Region Champion: UCLA
Most Outstanding Player: Darren Collison G UCLA
Favorite: UCLA
Sleeper: Connecticut
Bracket Buster: Baylor
Best First Round Game: West Virginia vs Arizona
Upset Watch: Drake vs Western Kentucky
Best Player You Don't Know: Courtney Lee G Western Kentucky
The Bruins have the easiest road to San Antonio of the four number one seeds and it should be no surprise that barring a major upset, UCLA will most likely reach its third consecutive Final Four. Ben Howland is to the national championship game what John Calipari is to the Final Four; they just can't make that next step. The Bruins are loaded with everything. They have a heady lead man in Darren Collison, a versatile wing scorer in Russell Westbrook, and a beast inside with Pac-10 Player of the Year Kevin Love. Duke is the two seed in this region and have been great for most of the year but have been down recently. The only inside game from the Blue Devils is bench player Brian Zoubek. Duke's lack of an inside game has caught up with them but the experience of Coach K on the sideline could a major factor in the success they have this tournament. Xavier won the A-10 by three games but are relatively unknown to most fans. Stanley Burrell and Drew Lavender form a potent back-court that is equally on offense and defense. the up-and-down UCONN Huskies are the four seed and if they play up to their potential, a Sweet Sixteen matchup with UCLA should be in order. Watch out for Baylor as a possible Cinderella because of their ability to score and play up tempo. In the end, the Bruins have too much of everything.
Sweet Sixteen: UCLA, Connecticut, Baylor, Duke
Elite Eight: UCLA vs Duke
West Region Champion: UCLA
Most Outstanding Player: Darren Collison G UCLA
Bracket Breakdown: South Region
Top Four Seeds: Memphis, Texas, Stanford, Pittsburgh
Favorite: Memphis
Sleeper: Pittsburgh
Bracket Buster: St. Mary's (CA)
Best First Round Game: Marquette vs Kentucky
Upset Watch: Michigan State vs Temple
Best Player You Don't Know: Patrick Mills G St. Mary's (CA)
After reaching the Elite Eight the past two years, Memphis coach John Calipari knows his Final Four berth is long overdue. After having being disappointed yet again last year vs Texas A&M, this could be the year they break through. Their main competition will be Big East tournament champion Pittsburgh Panthers, Big 12 co-regular season champs Texas, and Pac-10 runner-up Stanford. Texas has arguably the best back-court in the nation with DJ Augustin and AJ Abrams. These two have to be on point if Texas has any chance at winning the region. Stanford is a little more unknown because they play out West but don't under-estimate the Cardinals because they lean on twin seven-foot sophomore Brook and Robin Lopez. With heady point guard Mitch Johnson running the show, Stanford could be a serious threat in the South region. At lastly is Pitt. Don't be fooled by their record because they are playing great team defense and as the old adage goes, defense wins championships. Other teams to watch out for are Michigan State and Marquette. Both have up tempo games who could win any game if they are hot from the field.
Sweet Sixteen: Memphis, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Texas
Elite Eight: Pittsburgh vs Texas
South Region Champion: Texas
Most Outstanding Player: DJ Augustin G Texas
Favorite: Memphis
Sleeper: Pittsburgh
Bracket Buster: St. Mary's (CA)
Best First Round Game: Marquette vs Kentucky
Upset Watch: Michigan State vs Temple
Best Player You Don't Know: Patrick Mills G St. Mary's (CA)
After reaching the Elite Eight the past two years, Memphis coach John Calipari knows his Final Four berth is long overdue. After having being disappointed yet again last year vs Texas A&M, this could be the year they break through. Their main competition will be Big East tournament champion Pittsburgh Panthers, Big 12 co-regular season champs Texas, and Pac-10 runner-up Stanford. Texas has arguably the best back-court in the nation with DJ Augustin and AJ Abrams. These two have to be on point if Texas has any chance at winning the region. Stanford is a little more unknown because they play out West but don't under-estimate the Cardinals because they lean on twin seven-foot sophomore Brook and Robin Lopez. With heady point guard Mitch Johnson running the show, Stanford could be a serious threat in the South region. At lastly is Pitt. Don't be fooled by their record because they are playing great team defense and as the old adage goes, defense wins championships. Other teams to watch out for are Michigan State and Marquette. Both have up tempo games who could win any game if they are hot from the field.
Sweet Sixteen: Memphis, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Texas
Elite Eight: Pittsburgh vs Texas
South Region Champion: Texas
Most Outstanding Player: DJ Augustin G Texas
Bracket Breakdown: Midwest Region
Top Four Seeds: Kansas, Georgetown, Wisconsin, Vanderbilt
Favorite: Kansas
Sleeper: USC
Bracket Buster: Davidson
Best First Round Game: Davidson vs Gonzaga
Upset Watch: Vanderbilt vs Siena, Villanova vs Clemson
Best Player You Don't Know: Stephen Curry G Davidson
Wisconsin is just as unhappy as Tennessee is with their seeding. After winning the Big Ten tournament title and boasting a 29-4 record, Bo Ryan's club was placed into a region with possible match-ups with Georgetown, Kansas, and a dangerous second round game vs USC. Georgetown is also afraid of a possible second round game with either Davidson or Gonzaga because both teams have talent and are not scared of the big boys. Look for this region to maybe have a few upsets but mark down the Elite Eight for Kansas and Georgetown. The Hoyas are a well coached team and play tough defense. Kansas has been searching for tournament success for quite some time and Bill Self believes they may have found it.
Sweet Sixteen: Kansas, Clemson, USC, Georgetown
Elite Eight: Kansas vs Georgetown
Midwest Region Champion: Kansas
Most Outstanding Player: Brandon Rush F Kansas
Favorite: Kansas
Sleeper: USC
Bracket Buster: Davidson
Best First Round Game: Davidson vs Gonzaga
Upset Watch: Vanderbilt vs Siena, Villanova vs Clemson
Best Player You Don't Know: Stephen Curry G Davidson
Wisconsin is just as unhappy as Tennessee is with their seeding. After winning the Big Ten tournament title and boasting a 29-4 record, Bo Ryan's club was placed into a region with possible match-ups with Georgetown, Kansas, and a dangerous second round game vs USC. Georgetown is also afraid of a possible second round game with either Davidson or Gonzaga because both teams have talent and are not scared of the big boys. Look for this region to maybe have a few upsets but mark down the Elite Eight for Kansas and Georgetown. The Hoyas are a well coached team and play tough defense. Kansas has been searching for tournament success for quite some time and Bill Self believes they may have found it.
Sweet Sixteen: Kansas, Clemson, USC, Georgetown
Elite Eight: Kansas vs Georgetown
Midwest Region Champion: Kansas
Most Outstanding Player: Brandon Rush F Kansas
Monday, March 17, 2008
Bracket Breakdown: East Region
Top Four Seeds: North Carolina, Tennessee, Louisville, Washington State,
Favorite: North Carolina
Sleeper: Notre Dame
Bracket Buster: Butler
Best First Round Game: Indiana vs Arkansas
Upset Watch: Washington State vs Winthrop
Best Players You Don't Know: Reggie Larry F Boise State,Demetric Bennett G South Ala.
North Carolina received the overall number one seed but the committee did not do any favors by making the East the hardest region in the tournament. Tennessee was in the hunt for a number one seed but their semi-final loss to Arkansas put them in the two seed line and they were rewarded by having a potential second round game with bracket busters Butler or South Alabama. This is the toughest region and most of the time in regions like this you usually get the chalk. Look for the top teams to hold seed and advance. Louisville and Notre Dame are playing the best ball of the season and should not be overlooked. Oklahoma has the potential to spring an upset of Louisville but if Rick Pitino's crew listens, they could be going a long way.
Sweet Sixteen: North Carolina, Notre Dame, Louisville, Tennessee
Elite Eight: North Carolina vs Louisville
East Region Champion: North Carolina
Most Outstanding Player: Tyler Hansbrough C North Carolina
Favorite: North Carolina
Sleeper: Notre Dame
Bracket Buster: Butler
Best First Round Game: Indiana vs Arkansas
Upset Watch: Washington State vs Winthrop
Best Players You Don't Know: Reggie Larry F Boise State,Demetric Bennett G South Ala.
North Carolina received the overall number one seed but the committee did not do any favors by making the East the hardest region in the tournament. Tennessee was in the hunt for a number one seed but their semi-final loss to Arkansas put them in the two seed line and they were rewarded by having a potential second round game with bracket busters Butler or South Alabama. This is the toughest region and most of the time in regions like this you usually get the chalk. Look for the top teams to hold seed and advance. Louisville and Notre Dame are playing the best ball of the season and should not be overlooked. Oklahoma has the potential to spring an upset of Louisville but if Rick Pitino's crew listens, they could be going a long way.
Sweet Sixteen: North Carolina, Notre Dame, Louisville, Tennessee
Elite Eight: North Carolina vs Louisville
East Region Champion: North Carolina
Most Outstanding Player: Tyler Hansbrough C North Carolina
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