-My first thought is that Stalica is MUCH better at this than I am
-Looking back at yesterday’s First Four games, all were exciting!! Very few were well played, but all were exciting!! Michigan State v UCLA was played with high intensity, and every time it looked like one of the teams was falling apart, they’d regroup, make a big play, and then swing the momentum back their way. UCLA got the win in overtime! It is their FIRST EVER First Four win!! Jon Wooden never managed a First Four win at any point in his career!!
-Norfolk State and Texas Southern won their first four games to advance to the Round of 64. I’m kind of glad that both the SWAC and the MEAC Will each earn two units from this year’s NCAA Tournament. I kind of complained yesterday about how I’m not a fan of the First Four, but for the UTR leagues that play in it, it’s a chance to double their normal number of units (one) and therefore double their revenue.
-Drake had a really bad first half, and Wichita State had a worse second half. It’s a big win for Drake who is back in the Round of 64 for the first time since 2008.
-It’s the first day of the Round of 64, and we all know what that means!! HUGE ratings for The Price is Right!! which is what airs right before CBS begins their NCAA Tournament coverage!
-VA Tech v Florida should be fun. Both teams had some really big wins throughout the season and while neither was consistent enough to be a protected seed, both showed that they were capable of being able to beat one if they were at the top of their game.
-Illinois and Baylor also get underway today. Baylor will face Hartford (a Hoops HD favorite) and Illinois will go against Drexel. I gotta be honest, even by #16 seed standards these teams are kind of weak. It’s still a good thing for both of these programs to be here, but it should be rather short lived.
-Georgia Tech vs Loyola Chicago should be a great game. Both teams are playing really well right now, and both are coming off their best regular seasons in recent memory. Notice I said REGULAR seasons. The year Loyola Chicago made the Final Four they were actually outside the bubble and wouldn’t have made the field at all without the automatic bid.
-Oregon State is on fire right now, and while Tennessee has looked good at times, they have also looked luke warm at other times. Tennessee clearly had the better season, but I was more impressed with Oregon State in the Pac 12 Tournament than I was with Tennessee in the SEC, so this one should be fun to watch.
-I like how Utah State was playing down the stretch, but I like Texas Tech even more, especially when you factor in their ability to crank it up in the NCAA Tournament. They have quite a streak of Elite Eight appearances going.
-Before the season started it would not have shocked me at all had you told me Wisconsin and North Carolina would meet in the NCAA Tournament. I probably wouldn’t have expected it to be the 8v9 game though. This one is a toss up.
-This North Texas team is a live wire team that played great in the Conference USA Tournament. I really like this Purdue team as well, and think they’re also playing their best basketball of the season. I’d be tempted to take North Texas in an upset, and still don’t think it’s entirely out of the question, but I just have a feeling that Purdue is firing on all cylinders and won’t overlook them.
Congratulations to Rutgers who will be playing in their first NCAA Tournament game in about 300 years!! Maybe longer!! I actually like their chances. Clemson had some big wins throughout the year, but they weren’t the best away from home and they didn’t win THAT many games that were of a higher difficulty than beating Rutgers on a neutral floor will likely be.
-There are some that feel that Syracuse should not have been in the field. Generally when people feel that way, Syracuse goes on a long tournament run. They face a San Diego State team that really played well down the stretch. This is one that I’m really looking forward to.
-Villanova has not looked the same since the injury to Gillespie, and they’re facing a Winthrop team that’s just lost one game this year and would have probably earned a much better seed than a #12 seed in a normal year with more OOC games against better teams. This is an “upset” that everyone is predicting. Which…raises the question, would it really even be an upset??
-Oklahoma State vs Liberty, Colgate (who has only played about four teams all year) vs Arkansas, Oral Roberts vs Ohio State, Cleveland State vs Houston, and Morehead State vs West Virginia also tip off today.
ENJOY THE GAMES!! ENJOY THE MADNESS!!