All 32 games of the second round are in the books. I am exhausted but none the worse for wear. I will attempt to recount a very full day of basketball.
Let’s start with the dinner hour, a time slot that rarely gets its due. The prime-time network spots in the NCAA Tournament are reserved for the brand name programs. It is written in the Constitution that Duke plays at 7:10 pm EDT on CBS. On the other hand, there is a long tradition of relegating teams and games that are perceived as less important to the dinner hour. Whatever the merits of this time-honored approach, in this tournament, the dinner hour games have been perhaps the best games of the tournament, including yesterday’s remarkable and thrilling comeback by Dayton to defeat Nevada.
Tonight, the dinner hour featured two classic games. The game I watched most closely, Florida against Colorado, was played at a remarkably high level of execution. Florida shot 51.5 % from the field, 44% from three, 19-22 from the foul line, tied in rebounds and only had eight turnovers in a very high possession game. And lost. 102-100, in regulation, to a Colorado team that shot 63% from the field, 60% from three and 28-33 from the foul line. Walter Clayton, Jr. attempted to will the Gators to victory, scoring Florida’s last 16 points including a three from right of the logo to tie the game at 100. Unfortunately for Florida, Clayton, Jr. left 6 seconds on the clock, enough time for Colorado’s superb point guard, K.J. Simpson, to drain the last two of his 23 points, a jumper from the right corner that touched every part of the rim.
While I could not take my eyes off the Florida-Colorado game, I did notice out of the corner of my eye that Yale was crawling back into its game with Auburn and showing the tell-tale signs of a potential upset. I had discounted this possibility, in part because Yale not only did not win the Ivy League, but it also won the conference tournament over a Brown team that led by 6 points with 27 seconds to play, just last Sunday, and in part because the narrative of the smart guys from Yale against the talent of Auburn was as offensive as it was predictable. As a friend, a Yale grad as it happens, said so perfectly, it makes you want to write a poem about Bill Bradley. Whatever my objections, Yale was undeterred and there was nothing fluky about their comeback victory. After climbing all the way up the mountain to take a 73-72 lead on a three pointer by John Poulakidas with 2:14 to play, the Bulldogs never trailed again.
The dinner hour was the most dramatic, but there were stirring performances all day. The day began with a nail-biter between Northwestern and last year’s Cinderella, the Owls of Florida Atlantic. Last year, in its opening game, FAU survived Memphis at the buzzer after Memphis was not awarded a time out it felt (and I am sure still feels) it had called on time. This year it went the other way. FAU’s big and improved center, Vladimir Goldin, 9-10 from the foul line to that point, had a one and one up two and a chance to ice the game. This time Goldin missed, Northwestern’s Brooks Barnhizer hit to force overtime, and the Wildcats pulled away to win by 12 in overtime. It is a fine line in March.
Speaking of the Constitution, somewhere James Madison is smiling, and wondering about the balance of power between the Sun Belt Conference and the Big Ten. JMU flummoxed Wisconsin from the opening tip and was in ragged but complete control the entire night. Fittingly, the Dukes get Duke next, after the Blue Devils drew away from Vermont in the 7:10 pm game on CBS. This Duke team likes things the way they like them, and I will be very surprised if JMU does not give Duke all it can handle and very possible more.
While some power programs went home today, the three teams that separated from the rest over the course of the season—UConn, Purdue and Houston—had no such issues and, in fact, no issues at all.
Friday also was redemption day for a couple of teams and some returning players. Last year, a Texas A&M team led by Wade Taylor IV and Boots Radford was blown out by Penn State. Tonight, the Aggies blew away Nebraska 98-83, with Taylor IV and Radford combining for 47 and key late season addition to the starting line-up, Manny Obaseki, adding 22 more. Even with the addition of Obaseki, it is puzzling how Texas A&M lost 14 games. A&M has the kind of grown-men athletes that might scare Houston if anything could scare Houston. Certainly, Longwood did not scare Houston tonight.
Last year, Ray Harrison and Gabe McGlothan played well, but Grand Canyon was overmatched against Gonzaga. Tonight, Harrison and McGlothan played well again, but this time Bryce Drew added an electrifying former Kansas recruit, Tyon Grant-Foster, whose future’s so bright he’s got to wear shades, and some other long and talented athletes. It was too much for Saint Mary’s and now the Lopes get Alabama, which cruised by Charleston tonight. Bring your calculator.
Taking a quick look at the conferences, some storylines are developing.
A few conferences have been perfect, two of them poignant in different ways: the Atlantic 10 with Duquesne and then Dayton, and the soon to be defunct Pac-12, which, in addition to Colorado, had impressive wins by Arizona, Oregon and Washington St. The Big East also is perfect, although this is bittersweet, as only three teams, each a top three seed—UConn, Marquette and Creighton – made the tournament.
It also has been another good tournament for the annually-maligned ACC, a five-bid league which is 4-1 after impressive wins by N.C. State and Clemson to go along with easier high seed wins by UNC and Duke. Of course, here in Pittsburgh we are left to wonder whether the ACC would be undefeated if our Panthers were selected rather that the miscast Cavaliers of Virginia.
The six-bid Big Ten had nice wins by Michigan State, Illinois, Northwestern, and Purdue, but Wisconsin and Nebraska were soundly beaten.
It has been a mixed bag for the six bid Mountain West. Four of the six are gone, although Colorado St. did destroy Virginia before losing to Texas. Jaedon Ledee, a truly great college player, saved San Diego State against UAB. And tonight, Utah State looked very good in taking down the fighting Jamie Dixon’s of TCU in its first game of the season against a team from another Power conference.
The seven bid Big 12 has advanced Houston, Iowa State, Baylor and Kansas, all top 4 seeds. But Texas Tech, BYU and TCU are going home, and the first two lost to much lower seeds.
The SEC, with 8 bids, has had a disappointing showing to this point. Tennessee, Alabama and Texas A&M have played well and advanced. But Kentucky and Auburn suffered major upsets, Mississippi St. and South Carolina lost by double digits, and Florida lost a heartbreaker.
Now it is on to the weekend, after which we will have the Sweet 16. In the East, UConn, San Diego St., Illinois and Iowa State will be strong favorites. In the South, in my opinion, all four games could go either way, except it would be surprising to see lightning strike twice for Oakland against N.C. State. As good as Houston is, Texas A&M is built to give them a game. In the Midwest, Purdue will be a solid favorite over Utah St and Tennessee will be a pretty solid favorite over Texas . Kansas defeating Gonzaga or Oregon defeating Creighton would be an upset but only a mild upset. In the West, Arizona will be a strong favorite over Dayton. In my opinion, Michigan St. beating North Carolina, Grand Canyon defeating Alabama and Clemson defeating Baylor would be upsets but not major upsets.
Eight more game today, including another late night at PPG Paints Arena. Enjoy!
17-15
Let’s start with the dinner hour, a time slot that rarely gets its due. The prime-time network spots in the NCAA Tournament are reserved for the brand name programs. It is written in the Constitution that Duke plays at 7:10 pm EDT on CBS. On the other hand, there is a long tradition of relegating teams and games that are perceived as less important to the dinner hour. Whatever the merits of this time-honored approach, in this tournament, the dinner hour games have been perhaps the best games of the tournament, including yesterday’s remarkable and thrilling comeback by Dayton to defeat Nevada.
Tonight, the dinner hour featured two classic games. The game I watched most closely, Florida against Colorado, was played at a remarkably high level of execution. Florida shot 51.5 % from the field, 44% from three, 19-22 from the foul line, tied in rebounds and only had eight turnovers in a very high possession game. And lost. 102-100, in regulation, to a Colorado team that shot 63% from the field, 60% from three and 28-33 from the foul line. Walter Clayton, Jr. attempted to will the Gators to victory, scoring Florida’s last 16 points including a three from right of the logo to tie the game at 100. Unfortunately for Florida, Clayton, Jr. left 6 seconds on the clock, enough time for Colorado’s superb point guard, K.J. Simpson, to drain the last two of his 23 points, a jumper from the right corner that touched every part of the rim.
While I could not take my eyes off the Florida-Colorado game, I did notice out of the corner of my eye that Yale was crawling back into its game with Auburn and showing the tell-tale signs of a potential upset. I had discounted this possibility, in part because Yale not only did not win the Ivy League, but it also won the conference tournament over a Brown team that led by 6 points with 27 seconds to play, just last Sunday, and in part because the narrative of the smart guys from Yale against the talent of Auburn was as offensive as it was predictable. As a friend, a Yale grad as it happens, said so perfectly, it makes you want to write a poem about Bill Bradley. Whatever my objections, Yale was undeterred and there was nothing fluky about their comeback victory. After climbing all the way up the mountain to take a 73-72 lead on a three pointer by John Poulakidas with 2:14 to play, the Bulldogs never trailed again.
The dinner hour was the most dramatic, but there were stirring performances all day. The day began with a nail-biter between Northwestern and last year’s Cinderella, the Owls of Florida Atlantic. Last year, in its opening game, FAU survived Memphis at the buzzer after Memphis was not awarded a time out it felt (and I am sure still feels) it had called on time. This year it went the other way. FAU’s big and improved center, Vladimir Goldin, 9-10 from the foul line to that point, had a one and one up two and a chance to ice the game. This time Goldin missed, Northwestern’s Brooks Barnhizer hit to force overtime, and the Wildcats pulled away to win by 12 in overtime. It is a fine line in March.
Speaking of the Constitution, somewhere James Madison is smiling, and wondering about the balance of power between the Sun Belt Conference and the Big Ten. JMU flummoxed Wisconsin from the opening tip and was in ragged but complete control the entire night. Fittingly, the Dukes get Duke next, after the Blue Devils drew away from Vermont in the 7:10 pm game on CBS. This Duke team likes things the way they like them, and I will be very surprised if JMU does not give Duke all it can handle and very possible more.
While some power programs went home today, the three teams that separated from the rest over the course of the season—UConn, Purdue and Houston—had no such issues and, in fact, no issues at all.
Friday also was redemption day for a couple of teams and some returning players. Last year, a Texas A&M team led by Wade Taylor IV and Boots Radford was blown out by Penn State. Tonight, the Aggies blew away Nebraska 98-83, with Taylor IV and Radford combining for 47 and key late season addition to the starting line-up, Manny Obaseki, adding 22 more. Even with the addition of Obaseki, it is puzzling how Texas A&M lost 14 games. A&M has the kind of grown-men athletes that might scare Houston if anything could scare Houston. Certainly, Longwood did not scare Houston tonight.
Last year, Ray Harrison and Gabe McGlothan played well, but Grand Canyon was overmatched against Gonzaga. Tonight, Harrison and McGlothan played well again, but this time Bryce Drew added an electrifying former Kansas recruit, Tyon Grant-Foster, whose future’s so bright he’s got to wear shades, and some other long and talented athletes. It was too much for Saint Mary’s and now the Lopes get Alabama, which cruised by Charleston tonight. Bring your calculator.
Taking a quick look at the conferences, some storylines are developing.
A few conferences have been perfect, two of them poignant in different ways: the Atlantic 10 with Duquesne and then Dayton, and the soon to be defunct Pac-12, which, in addition to Colorado, had impressive wins by Arizona, Oregon and Washington St. The Big East also is perfect, although this is bittersweet, as only three teams, each a top three seed—UConn, Marquette and Creighton – made the tournament.
It also has been another good tournament for the annually-maligned ACC, a five-bid league which is 4-1 after impressive wins by N.C. State and Clemson to go along with easier high seed wins by UNC and Duke. Of course, here in Pittsburgh we are left to wonder whether the ACC would be undefeated if our Panthers were selected rather that the miscast Cavaliers of Virginia.
The six-bid Big Ten had nice wins by Michigan State, Illinois, Northwestern, and Purdue, but Wisconsin and Nebraska were soundly beaten.
It has been a mixed bag for the six bid Mountain West. Four of the six are gone, although Colorado St. did destroy Virginia before losing to Texas. Jaedon Ledee, a truly great college player, saved San Diego State against UAB. And tonight, Utah State looked very good in taking down the fighting Jamie Dixon’s of TCU in its first game of the season against a team from another Power conference.
The seven bid Big 12 has advanced Houston, Iowa State, Baylor and Kansas, all top 4 seeds. But Texas Tech, BYU and TCU are going home, and the first two lost to much lower seeds.
The SEC, with 8 bids, has had a disappointing showing to this point. Tennessee, Alabama and Texas A&M have played well and advanced. But Kentucky and Auburn suffered major upsets, Mississippi St. and South Carolina lost by double digits, and Florida lost a heartbreaker.
Now it is on to the weekend, after which we will have the Sweet 16. In the East, UConn, San Diego St., Illinois and Iowa State will be strong favorites. In the South, in my opinion, all four games could go either way, except it would be surprising to see lightning strike twice for Oakland against N.C. State. As good as Houston is, Texas A&M is built to give them a game. In the Midwest, Purdue will be a solid favorite over Utah St and Tennessee will be a pretty solid favorite over Texas . Kansas defeating Gonzaga or Oregon defeating Creighton would be an upset but only a mild upset. In the West, Arizona will be a strong favorite over Dayton. In my opinion, Michigan St. beating North Carolina, Grand Canyon defeating Alabama and Clemson defeating Baylor would be upsets but not major upsets.
Eight more game today, including another late night at PPG Paints Arena. Enjoy!
17-15
