Daily rants and opinions...because we're THAT bored.
by Spaen - Monday, March 13
Psych! You didn't think I'd stop there did you? This is a sports site for god sakes. If I did that for all my articles, we'd lose ALL of our viewers...
This was just one of the many mid-major championship games Saturday night that were really good, while you were drinking and smokin' it up with your homies. Seriously, you could stop for one week. Glad I did! St. Joe's was pretty good throughout, but Xavier wanted it more. And it showed. With 7 minutes to go, the Hawks got blasted by that Muskateer pride, and lost that 10-point lead. Not only did Xavier pull the most improbable upset in all conference tourneys as a 10 seed, but they did it without hot-shot Brian Thorton (who actually cut the nets, which shows the respect this team gives to their great players), Dedrick Finn, and a 100% Justin Doellman, who broke two bones in his shooting hand in February. Game ball goes to both Doellman and Justin Cage (pictured left). Doellman hit the clutch free throws to give them the lead, and Cage got the second block on St. Joseph's last effort that will be on the all-time highlight reel.
Worst Game: Texas A&M 86, Colorado 53 AND Wake Forest 82, 25)North Carolina St 71
Colorado pulled a Bode (had to do it one last time) against A&M, a game that was actually considered a playoff to the big dance. I already thought that Texas A&M was in it. They didn't need to prove that either, since Roby decided to become completely worthless in the conference tournament. Bad timing, buddy. Also, the WF/NC St game was NOT as close as the score appears. Wake Forest had a 20+ point lead for at least 30 minutes in this game. Please. I guess NC St was the most overrated team all season. Glad to see them off the Top 25, and in fact, they could surrender the Pac-10's only big dance win against Cal.
It was a tournament that had everything. The great games and the bad games. The dark horse contender, Wake Forest, a 12 seed that almost made it to the finals, almost taking down Duke. The new kids on the block, Boston College, that not only showed they won't take being bullied by the other teams, but they ARE the new bullies. They also became the most hated team this weekend, beating North Carolina when almost everyone wanted to see the rubber match between Duke and NC, the apparent "best" rivalry in sports. Ummm...it's only the best rivalry if it happens where you live, kids. It also had a good championship game.
Worst Conf. Tourney: Pac-10
If it wasn't for Oregon trying to be the dark horse (and with a great game against California), this would of been the shit. No, literally, the shit. Yah, that brown stuff.
Tony Mejia, for getting 70% of your game picks right all season for every NCAA basketball game. If I pulled scores of each team out of my ass, I could probably get the same, if not better, percentage than you did.
Dennis Dodd, for making Iowa fans everywhere mad by picking Northwestern State. Hey, look at it this way, he says they'll make the Elite 8 team! Oh, this is also coming from the guy that thinks LSU will make the final 4. I thought I made bold predictions. No, these aren't bold, they're retarded. Stick to the football, Dodd.
by seeding in the NCAA Tourney? George Washington. So they lose to Temple in the quarterfinals. All the other top teams in the A-10 did as well that day. Yes, I'll repeat that: no higher seed went on to the semifinals in the A-10 tourney. That in no way deserves them to go from likely 3 to under-achieving 8. Texas A&M got a swift kick in the balls at #12, and the committee took them, twisted them, and pulled them off by matching them up with hottest-team-in-America Syracuse. Tennessee #2 and North Carolina #3? Umm, don't know if the committee was watching basketball in these past few weeks, but NC beat Duke once. Who did the Volunteers beat? Oh, wait, they lost every game in the past few weeks. And Gonzaga not getting a #2 after going through the conference season undefeated.
The only potential upset that could happen this year. This is the strongest #16 seed, yet paired with the strongest #1. Albany dominated the American East conference, even though it wasn't that good. There is a lot of athleticism on that team, and they will contend with UConn well into the game. It will be UConn's overall strength and depth that will get the best, and they will have the final score look ugly.
3)Gonzaga / 14)Xavier - Thursday, 6:20pm CT
This is a potential upset. Gonzaga has not played well lately, especially in the WCC conference. Yes, they're undefeated, but how strong is that conference? Xavier has to be feeling it after their big A-10 championship, and they showed as a team that they can perform well against anyone. Adam Morrison has to show he is the leader of the team, and get everybody involved. If he is off at all, Xavier gets this win.
4)LSU / 13)Iona - Thursday, 6:10pm CT
Iona is a very good team from the MAAC. I've always believed LSU has been overrated all season, and I really believe that Iona is the better team if you don't look at it on paper. The Gaels started off the season hot, and ended with a conference championship. Doesn't get any better than that.
5)Syracuse / 12)Texas A&M - Thursday, 8:40pm CT
Easily the best first-round game. Both teams are coming off of terrific winning streaks, and great conference tourney resumes. Syracuse obviously pulled off the best tourney win fighting through the Big East as a 9 seed (also showing how much depth that conference has) and Texas A&M blew the hell out of Colorado for the team's first-ever Big XII Tourney victory, and played it's heart out against Texas. The Big East and Big XII have it's reasons to defend its teams, but this really does look like a second-round matchup than right now.
5)Pittsburgh / 12)Kent St - Friday, 6:10pm CT
Don't take Kent State likely. Pittsburgh was faultery towards the end of the season, and gave up the victory to Syracuse in the Big East championship. Kent State did very well in the underrated MAC. Both teams are very physical, and it will be terrific to watch.
5)Washington / 12)Utah St - Thursday, 8:55pm CT
In my opinion, Utah State is better than Nevada. Yeah, they lost to them in the WAC championship, but they at least forced OT. They never show quit, and 2-Pak is one of the most unrecognized athletes in the nation. On the other side, Washington has been beaten by Washington State twice, and lost to Oregon in the Pac-10 tourney. Obvious upset.
6)West Virginia / 11)Southern Illinois - Friday, 1:55pm CT
With all the talk about a potential WVU/Iowa second-round matchup, people forget about SIU. This team has one of the best defenses in the nation, and rarely gives up any more than 50 points a game. If WVU isn't sharp out of the gates, there won't be any Moutaineer Miracle like last year. Very low-scoring game.
6)Michigan St / 11)George Mason - Friday, 6:10pm CT
Okay, so I'm a little disappointed not to see Hofstra in this tourney. I'm also mad to see Michigan St as a 6 seed. Where did they finish in the overrated Big 10 conference? The Big 3 for MSU (led by Paul Davis) will need to step their game up, or they're in for a shocker.
7)Georgetown / 10)Northern Iowa - Friday, 1:45pm CT
Both these teams really fell off of the national radar towards the end of thee season. They will have to get back on track fast since one of these teams will be seeing Ohio State in the second round. I would say G'town has the upper hand from being in the Big East, and facing opponents in the non-conference like Duke (and beating them). UNI has the defense, but they will have to be on fire with their 3's. If they don't go in, they won't go on.
7)Wichita St / 10)Seton Hall - Thursday, 11:20am CT
What a way to officially start off CBS coverage of March Madness...with the lowest scoring game. I truly believe that Wichita State has what it takes to make it to the Sweet 16. Seton Hall should be a much lower seed, and they'll agree with me when they have to struggle with the WSU defense they will be facing. It's not all bad offense in the MVC.
8)George Washington / 9)UNC-Wilmington - Thursday, 6:10pm CT
The Colonials get screwed by the committee, and have to face the best team in the CAA. This game will be lights-out fun, and it will be a game that really test GW if that Temple loss wasn't a fluke. They'll need to prep up for the game against Duke come the second round. Either of these 2 teams could beat them though. Why is it that the two teams with the top 2 players in the nation will be picked against very often in this tourney?
8)Arkansas / 9)Bucknell - Friday, 11:30am CT
Now that the spotlight is on Bucknell again, never will they pull that amazing upset like they did last year. Arkansas is not that bad of a team, but their legitimecy is in question. Bucknell has been a solid team from beginning to end of the season.
8)Kentucky / 9)UAB - Friday, 8:55pm CT
What a way to end the first round! Kentucky has one of the worst overall records coming into the big dance, and UAB will try to recover from the thrashing it had against Memphis in the C-USA championship. Honestly, once Kentucky got its players good in the middle of the season, they haven't been horrible, except for that ugly game against Florida to end the regular season. Didn't have too strong of showing in the SEC tourney though. Ugh, it's hard to pick 8/9 seeded games.
Spaen's Picks
Atlanta Region: Duke, George Washington, Texas A&M, LSU, West Virginia, Iowa, California, Texas
Oakland Region: Memphis, Bucknell, Pittsburgh, Kansas, Indiana, Xavier, Marquette, UCLA
Washington DC Region: UConn, UAB, Utah St, Illinois, George Mason, North Carolina, Wichita St, Tenn
Minneapolis Region: Villanova, Wisconsin, Nevada, Boston College, Oklahoma, Florida, Georgetown, Ohio St