3/24/07

Well, we've widdled 64 down to 8, and this has been an upset-lovers worst nightmare. The only top, 2 seed not in the tournament is Wisconsin, despite the fact that we are in the regional finals. Three match-ups are 1 vs. 2, and the third is 1 vs. 3.

The games have been very competitive, however, especially this last round. Georgetown, Memphis, and Ohio State each won their last game by one point, Kansas won by 3, and Oregon won by 4. North Carolina was the only team to win by double-digits (10), and even they faced a 9 point defecit at the half. In fact, except for Oregon and UCLA, each winner faced a defecit at some point in the second half. In the Texas A&M/Memphis game, the largest lead for both teams was 5. So, if the pattern holds, then we'll have four 1 seeds in the Final Four for the first time ever - one year after having zero 1 seeds in the Final Four for the first time ever - but we could have 4 OT times to get to that point. Anyway, here's a preview of this weeken'd regional finals:

Today:

4:40 - Memphis vs. Ohio State - After knocking me out of my bracket pool, John Calipari's Memphis Tigers set their sights on the top seeded Ohio State Buckeyes. All tournament long, I have held that OSU is the top seed most likely to get KO'd, and I stand by that assesment. Greg Oden and company have had above and beyond their fare share of close call wins, and this is by far the best team they will have faced so far. Memphis is putting the strength of their conference (or, should I say, lack thereof) behind them, and proving that you have to look at the team, not the competition they have played. I like the Tigers to make the Final Four.

7:05 - UCLA vs. Kansas - For the third time this tournament, a higher seed has to play a lower seed in the lower seed's home state. The selection comittee has taken a good deal of heat for this, but in the first tow instances, both involving Texas A&M, the higher seed (the Aggies vs. Louisville, and Memphis vs. A&M) overcame the partisan crowd and prevailed. Kansas will try to make it 3-3. UCLA was #1 in the country earlier this year, and probably would have been a 1 seed if they hadn't been knocked out early in the Pac 10 Tourney. I think Kansas is too fast for the Bruins, and will cut down the nets in the West.

Tomorrow:

2:40 - Oregon vs. Florida - The Gators are trying to make history. Already the first school to hold the basketball and football national championships at the same time, now they try to be the first team to win both championships in the same school year, as well as become the first school in quite a while to win back to back NCAA tournaments. They have been sleepwalking through the first few rounds, however, although they have ended up winning by (mostly) convincing scores. Oregon is a team that is red-hot, having won the Pac 10 tournament and now the first 3 games of the NCAAs. But I think Florida will get by the Ducks and move on into the Final Four for the second consecutive year.

5:05 - Georgetown vs. North Carolina - The Hoyas and the Tar Heels were both the regular season and tournament champions of the best two conferences in college basketball, so this could very well be the best match-up of the entire tournament, including the games to come. You guys know my ACC bias, and so you know I'm taking UNC here. But I wouldn't be amazed to see Georgetown come through, either.

Ok, this week, starting Monday, I'll resume my normal schedule through Wednesday, but I'll be doing this blog on Thursday and Saturday again next week as we get through the Championship rounds. Until then...