Showcase Showdown

Seasonal Sports Superiority

by Sports Eye View

Photo Cred www.sportslocal.org

For the love of every sport, we, the writers of Sports Eye View, would like to entertain you, our readers, with one of the broadest Showcase Showdowns we can come up with. After the NBA and NHL playoffs finished a couple weeks ago, the sports world has slowed down quite a bit with baseball chugging along in the middle of it's season and not much else going on. A few Tennis fans out there are closely watching to see if Andy Murray can snatch his second straight Wimbledon title and even fewer NASCAR fans are out there awaiting with great anticipation the Chase for the Sprint Cup Series. We would like to fill this gap by trying to determine which season of sports is the best. Spring boasts the completion of the NHL and NBA playoffs and March Madness while Summer brags about it's always exciting MLB season and all star game, NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup as well as the occasional Olympics. Fall brings us the start of the NFL season, College Football and MLB playoffs and Winter shows of the ever exciting ending to the NFL season along with playoffs and of course, the BCS Bowls and the occasional Olympics. So which season is better? Let's see what the writers of Sports Eye View think.

Photo Cred www.cbslocal.com

Eric - I will begin by saying that the Spring by far offers the greatest sporting events of the year. It is so obvious that I could just leave it at that, but just for your entertainment (and for the very few who don't already know this), I will explain further. Let's start from the beginning. College Basketball season is coming to a close around the end of March. You all know what this means! March Madness!! Possibly the greatest tournament of all time kicks off Spring and lasts almost an entire month. Does it get much better than that? Well yes, it does. Not only is March Madness going on, but the NBA and NHL playoff races are tightening up and the MLB season is starting. It's almost too much goodness in such a short period of time. And then, if you thought it definitely could not get better, the NBA and NHL playoffs start and finish right at the end of Spring. If you need any more explanation as to why Spring is the best season for sports, you are out of your mind.

Photo Cred www.betinternet.com

Ryan - Let me start off my promotion of the Winter Sports season by telling you a story.  When I was 10 years old, I had a crush.  On who, you might ask?  Tara Lipinski.  I, along with the entire world population, watched as the 15 year old Golden Girl took down the best in Michelle Kwan and brought USA home the gold medal.  It was a good day.  Other memorable Winter Sport memories? Anyone remember the Miracle on Ice? Yeah, the one where the scrub Americans beat the domineering Russians in the 1980 Olympic Gold Medal Match.  They made a movie out of that one.  What about that Jamaican Bobsled team?  Yup, made a movie out of that one too.  Please, if you haven't watched Cool Runnings, do.  I can go on and on...The Immaculate Reception...The Catch...every Daytona 500 and Super Bowl ever played...The Ice Bowl....The Blackout Bowl.  I feel like I got the easy task with this Showdown.  I'll go into more details once I see what the other guys have to offer.

Photo Cred www.mlb.com

Ben- Close your eyes and just imagine for a minute. You’re sitting outside on the porch; warm coffee in hand, a fleece jacket wrapped around your shoulders.  A nice, crisp breeze blows over the lawn and rustles those leaves that are shedding their green hue to the grandiose orange, reds, and yellows the fall delivers. A bonfire in the distance is tingling your nose, reminding you of your youth.  At this point all of your senses are engaged- except the sense of excitement. You walk inside, turn on the TV and gear up for the greatest sports season of all- FALL. “So Ben, why is it the best?” The NFL season is throwing off its rust, the NBA is jumping into form, and the English Premier League is kicking into gear  (Yes, I'm not above punning my way though an article). Oh, and in case you forgot, a little thing called PLAYOFF BASEBALL is in full swing. Playoff baseball is straight up magic. Even casual fans start to get batty with the constant excitement of a 7 game series (I’m done, I swear). Still not enough for you? Just head into town to watch young, talented high school kids, with aspiring dreams of stardom, put it on the field every Friday night under the lights. Simply put, fall is awesome. 

Photo Cred www.uwishunu.com

Caleb - There is one event in the sporting world that captures the hearts and minds of the entire globe. One two week stretch in the heat of August that causes even the shallowest of sports fans to skip class, work and even their wedding to find the closest television set. Without further adieu....The Summer Olympics. While I believe that March Madness is the best sporting event in the United States, The Summer Olympics is without a doubt the most amazing event in the wide world of sports that spans far beyond the borders of MERICA. The London 2012 Olympics broke the record for the most watched event in television history. While Americans and small populations in the rest of the world are glued to the NBA and MLB finals, every eye and ear in the world unites within each country to cheer their team on in each individual event. The national pride that is sprouted from just one gold medal for a small country truly shows the beauty and brilliance that athletics can bring to our world. I have many more reasons why the Summer seasons reigns supreme, but starting with the top seems most appropriate. The Summer Olympics makes the season of Summer simply scintillating.

Photo Cred www.keepingscore.blogs.com

Eric - To snuff out the Summer sports season first, you brought up the event that takes place every 4 years. Sure it's fantastic when it is happening, but it is 2 weeks every 4 years. That is hardly as good as something that happens year in and year out. Fall is good because of the NFL getting started but everyone knows the end of the season and playoffs are the best part of the NFL season. Playoff Baseball is the only great thing the Fall has going for it. Premier League soccer is just a blip on the radar in America. NASCAR is probably more watched than the Premier League. If we all lived in England, the Fall would be kicking butt entirely due to Premier League soccer but we all live in America. The Winter does have some good sports as well but once again, the Winter Olympics only happen once every 4 years. The NFL playoffs are awesome and definitely the highlight of the Winter but that is about it. So in summary, the Summer has one great event every 4 years, the Fall has MLB playoffs and the Winter has NFL playoffs. Compare that to the Spring having March Madness which happens every year, NBA playoffs which happen every year, NHL playoffs which happen every year and the start of Baseball, which is always extremely exciting, and you have yourselves a clear winning. Prove me wrong!

Photo Cred www.reuters.com

Ryan - Eric, I beg to differ.  When it comes down to it, there are only two seasons in the running for this title, that being the Summer and Winter due to the presence of the Olympics.  These games are so amazing that they can only have them once every four years!  You are also not putting nearly enough stock in the start of the NFL season in the Fall.  If you're honest with yourself, you know, just like the rest of us, that the NFL is by far the greatest and most popular sport in America by leaps and bounds.  Nothing comes close.  Sorry man, the Spring is that lapse in the year when you're just waiting for the Summer months to come.  So, why does Winter beat the Summer? Each have the Olympics, which gives them an EVEN upper hand over the Fall and Spring.  Unfortunately for the Summer, there isn't much else than that besides Training Camps and Preseason.  Winter has the exciting end to the NFL regular season, the spine tingling playoffs and the one event that breaks all of the TV records every single year, the SUPER BOWL!!!!  Again, I got the easy task.  Oh, and I forgot to mention earlier; the BCS Championship Series!  Easily one of the Top 5 single sporting events of the year.  The Winter season captures those who love professional sports, college sports, and once every four years even throws something in there that the entire world can tune into.  Seriously, need Ben and Caleb even take a stab?

Photo Cred www.gambling911.com

Caleb - Ryan beat me to the punch about the Olympics. I would rather have the greatest sporting venture of all time once every 4 years than the normal American sports championships every single year. The simple fact that it happens once every 4 years makes it that much better and bolsters the summer season's resume. Also, are we really making the argument that the summer Olympics are the only event happening in the summer? Did we forget that 3 of 4 golf major championships occur in the summer? Now I know some of you will bash golf for being boring, but have you ever watched the U.S. Open? Have you ever been glued to the television for 5 straight hours on a Sunday? The U.S. Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship all occur in the summer and carry a unique change of pace from the normal big 4. Also, summer holds Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in the tennis world which carry the same glorified weight as the golf majors. Summer holds the unique and brilliant sporting events that the rest of the seasons just don't have. Also, which of you can deny checking your phone or internet each and every night to get text updates from the Phillies, Pirates or Orioles? We may not be at the beginning or the end of the MLB season, but I would argue that the middle of the season is much better than the beginning. Divisional races are taking shape, new stars are being born and surprise stories are always popping up. For any true baseball fan, the summer months are the best time of year. I see your individual points and I believe we all have strong cases because sports are amazing all year round, but there is simply nothing better than listening to the baseball game on the radio on a summer night, waking up early to watch Tiger struggle in the British Open, or wearing your USA colors and screaming and shouting about synchronized swimming. Bummer for the rest for only one reason, summer is the best, the best of the seasons.

Photo Cred www.rampagedreality.com

Ben - Sure, the Olympics are fantastic, that's impossible to argue against. But while you're talking about 2 weeks, everyone else is thinking big picture: consistently the best at round house kicking you in the face for 3 whole months season. It just so happens to be fall. I mean who doesn't love variety; that's what Fall is about. THREE types of football (HS/College/Pro), soccer leagues across the whole world (not giving up on soccer Eric!), Hockey, Basketball, and playoff baseball (And Baseball is the most "American" sport there is, shouldn't that just be the end of the argument? Could be, Wont be). The fall is set up for sporting events every night of the week. The amount of quality sporting action available is just wild- like riding an eagle through the mists of Valhalla during a full moon. Doesn't get much better than that!

Alright everyone, now it's your turn.  There is no way to settle this for good without having your input on the matter.  How do you help?

1. Post in the comment section of this story.
2. Vote on the poll along the right side of the blog.

Help us out, which sporting season is the best overall?!!

Final Four Frenzy

And Then There Were Four...

photo cred: blogs.kansas.com

The media wants a story. ESPN wants hours worth of upset coverage. They want one of two things. They either want the feel-good story of Louisville winning for Kevin Ware, or they want Wichita St. to play the David role and take down the Goliath. David against Goliath. The out of no-where Shockers of Wichita St. arrive on the big stage and overcome outstanding odds to take down the #1 overall seed and advance to the championship game. It sounds like a great story right? Well, what if WIchita St. isn't a David figure? What if ESPN is forcing the little man role on a team that looks a lot more like Goliath's little brother? 

The Shockers eluded media hype all year and were a quick dismissal in most every bracket in the nation. Maybe you had them beating Pitt because you didn't trust the Panthers (which you shouldn't). Maybe you work behind a plow in Kansas and have them winning it all. Regardless, the fact is that this Wichita St. team has something special going on, and it clearly isn't FGCU material. This team isn't going to wow you with their scoring (117th PPG in the nation and 115th in FG%). What do they have on their side? Well for starters, offensive consistency. They were held under 60 points only 4 times all year. They may not blow you out of the gym but they have enough weapons to put up points in every contest. What else do they have? The list is long. They have balanced scoring. The Shockers have had a different leading scorer in three of their four tournament games. Further, their starting lineup scored 14,12,10, 9 and 8 points against the Buckeyes. Tell me a team's leading scorer only had 14 points and I have a hard time believing they had beaten Ohio St. 

photo cred: www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Next, they have a go-to guy. While the Shockers rely heavily on their balance, every team that goes deep in the tourney needs THAT guy. For Wichita St., Malcolm Armstead is the guy. Armstead scored 22 against Pitt and 18 against LaSalle. He's the guy who's going to get the ball at the end of the game. No surprise, he knows what to do with it. Next, they have a quick, athletic D. The Shockers have the size and strength (with Early and Hall) to hang with any team defensively. Finally, the Shockers have a lights out 3-point shooter. If you've seen Wichita St. play, you've undoubtedly noticed Baker on the floor. He is an electric freshman who averages 35% from beyond the arc. 

Now that I'm done my piece on Wichita St., let's get to the game. 

Wichita St. vs. Louisville - Saturday at 6:09pm

In my previous 3 articles leading up to the Final Four, I have praised Louisville for their dynamic play and their team chemistry. As I've stated before, Louisville is the most complete team in the nation. They have rolled through the tournament up to this point winning all but the Oregon contest by double digits. Putting an exclamation point on their run, they pounded a Duke team who seemed up to the task by 22 points. In my opinion, the only style of team that has a chance at Louisville is an athletic team with a solid defensive scheme. Does Wichita St. fit that description? It is certainly a possibility.

What to expect: 

From the opening tip, expect an up-tempo and electric first half. Both of these teams are quick starters. Against Ohio St., Wichita led 35-22 at the half. The Shockers showed incredible maturity for a team that had not been to the Elite 8 since 1981. Don't expect the lights to be too bright for this squad. Early blows will be thrown from each squad. 

photo cred: www.louisville.com

Next, expect Siva to dazzle. Peyton Siva has the best court vision of any point guard in the nation. Not always lighting up the scoring column, Siva maximizes the talent around him by driving and distributing. Which leads to my next point. Expect Russ Smith to get a LOT of attention. Smith has scored over 20 points in each of the Cardinals four tournament games. For Louisville, they understand that Smith has to get touches early and often because he can be a streaky shooter if he doesn't start off hot. For Wichita they know they must keep him quiet in the first 10 minutes. I expect coach Marshall to face guard Smith in the beginning of the game. Whether or not Smith hits his early looks will be a tell-tale sign of victory or defeat for the Cardinals. 

Next, expect Cleanthony Early to have a monster game. This kid is fantastic and the Shockers absolutely have to get him touches in the post if they plan on keeping up with Louisville. Undoubtedly, Hall and Early are going to battle the Louisville bigs all game long. Finally, expect this game to be tight throughout. Like a heavy-weight bout, these two teams will trade haymakers for 30 minutes. It's going to be the last 10 minutes that decide who moves on. 

photo cred: www.cardchronicle.com

Out of the 4 teams left, I think only Wichita St. and Syracuse have a legitimate shot at beating Louisville. Do I think Wichita St. can slow down the Cardinals roll? I think its more of a possibility than many are giving them credit for. The line is Louisville by 10.5 as of Thursday afternoon. Hear me on this, this game will be decided by single digits. If Wichita can hold Smith to below 20 and stay out of foul trouble I give them the slight edge. If Smith plays like he has been, Louisville will put together a late run and win by 5. I'm going with the latter.

Prediction - Louisville 77 Wichita St. 72

Game on. 

Different Down South

The Madness Returns: How sweet (16) it is to meet you 

By Ben Makin

So let me start by saying, “whoops! Didn't see that coming!” Who the heck is Florida Gulf Coast University, and what have they done to my bracket? Well FGCU are comprised of a bunch of jerks that decided it’d be funny to ruin my final four prediction of Georgetown— all in the first round. Minus them, and Minnesota winning a toss up game, the rest has been right! 

Photo cred gstatic.com

- The UNC-Kansas game was interesting for a while than Kansas turned it on and abused Carolina down low. They beat a good UNC team without Ben McLemore, arguably their best player. He couldn't find his stroke so Bill Self sat him down and had his seniors take this game home.

- Michigan, after a shaky first round, just absolutely dominated VCU behind none other than Trey B..MITCH MCGARY! My favorite player in this tournament, McGary has the “Ben Makin Trifecta” (attributes for making him my favorite player):

Photo cred gstatic.com

1. Goofy to watch.
2. Super high energy.
3. Can have a big “we didn’t plan for that” game.
4. ***Bonus attribute- his name is really fun to yell and elongate.

- Florida wasn’t really tested, but they have a tough matchup coming up with FGCU. They shot really well in both games and look tougher than I originally thought. They shot 50% from three their second game- and you aren’t going to lose when that happens. 

- Florida Gulf Coast shattered everyone’s expectations. They’ve only been a program for 4 years, and had open tryouts at the beginning of the season. Now they’re the first 15 seed in the Sweet 16- EVER! Quite an accomplishment for a new coach and a young program that looks to be heading in the right direction. (Especially with this campus)

Photo cred pbs.twimg.com

SO, what can we expect from the sweet 16. Will it dazzle and wow us? I think it may…


Game 1 - #1 Kansas Jayhawks vs. #4 Michigan Wolverines

This game could be the best of the tournament thus far. Forget the Ohio State buzzer beater, Marquette’s last second layup, and the Craig Segar suit choices; and just focus on this great matchup. Every position has a great battle. 

Elijah Johnson vs. Trey Burke – The battle of the point guards. Trey Burke is known for his explosive play, getting into the lane and finishing, or pulling up for a smooth looking J. That's right, he’s known for a lot of things. Elijah Johnson on the other hand is not as proficient offensively as Burke is, but he is a senior with good experience. This will assist him (haha, point guard joke? Sorry…) in trying to slow down the Wooden Award Finalist. Johnson needs to be locked in on defense and have others worry about scoring. Burke is a handful, not many can stop him. 

Photo cred gstatic.com

Ben McLemore vs. Tim Hardaway Jr.- This will be a battle of the Scorers. Both are fantastic shooters who have the tools to succeed at the next level. I think that Hardaway will be on McLemore because of his length and airtight defense. Timmy Jr. is competitive, and will want to outduel this redshirt freshman that has a ton of hype. McLemore will look to come out strong and control the ball for his team. After a terrible second round game, he wants to show his stuff and prove he can lead his team. Both are going to be locked in, watch their eyes- it’ll be daggers. 

Travis Releford vs Nik Stauskas- While Michigan has the upper hand in the point guard position; Kansas can take advantage of this matchup. Releford was on FIRE in the round of 32. 22 points, 8 rebounds on 9-13 shooting, this senior didn't want to go home early. Stauskas is a fantastic freshman shooter that has the ability to go for 20 on any given night, but he is still raw. Releford’s familiarity with the tournament, and big games will help him get past this rookie.Look for Hardaway Jr. to move onto Releford if he continues his hot streak from the weekend. 

Kevin Young vs. Glen Robinson III – this will be a bruising matchup between two big boys. Both Robinson and Young love to hit the boards, and are athletic enough to get their points. Both also know their roles on the team, and adhere to them quite well. I think Robinson is more athletic than Young, so look for Michigan to try and get Robinson moving and cutting to the basket early. 

Photo cred gstatic.com

Jeff Withey vs Mitch McGary- Both are coming off awesome games. Withey had 16 and 16; McGary with 21 and 14. I’m excited for this matchup, but it wont just be between Withey and McGary… MCCCCCCGGGARRRRRRYYYYYY! Michigan runs deep downlow- Jordon Morgan (who started all season) and Jon Horford will also come in to wear down the excellent Withey. Think this gives Michigan an advantage because they can rotate guys in and out against him, tiring out the senior and wear him down from over aggressive play. It’ll be a true test of Withey’s skill to see how he will do against this 3-headed-monster. 

Overall, just look for an excellent game. While I think Michigan has more overall talent on the court, Kansas is oozing with experience. It’s really going to be an intense battle for 45 minutes (yup, overtime!). If and when Michigan can find their “swag” and start to play electric- throwing oops, crazy passes, and dynamic dunks- don't be surprised to see them moving on. Final Score MICHIGAN 65 Kansas 62.
Now if you’re still breathing after the first game, get ready for FAST.


Game 2- #3 Florida Gators vs. #15 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles.

Both teams are looking to run. FGCU is ranked 6th in the nation in fast break offense, and they are fast when they play their 4 guard lineup. What also helps them is their ability to pass the

Photo cred hereandnow.wbur.org

basketball. They had 21 assists in their last game, and really work to get the best shot; which is usually a dunk! The self proclaimed “dunk-city” can SEND IT IN JEROME. It is exciting to watch this team who has more energy than the energizer bunny who just chugged an amp and chased it with a 5 hour energy and two shots of espresso. They get the crowd into it, and their bench is never sitting. They’re on the sidelines getting their team riled up to go win the game. It’s what college basketball should be- young guys ENJOYING their opportunity to be on the national stage, playing good basketball. 


                               

Photo cred gstatic.com

Florida is going to be challenged, but they being said, I still see them winning this game. Florida can shoot better than Marky-Mark as Bob Lee Swagger in the movie Shooter, and that's saying something. What they have to be careful with is hoisting up too many three’s and missing quality looks down low. They also need to play tight defense and limit the number of exciting plays FGCU gets, because they feed off of them. The Gators have some great players in Boynton and big boy Erik Murphy and they have what it takes to lead the Gators into the Elite 8. Florida is a team that makes you defend them. They will work the ball around with screens and high pick and rolls. Then if something isn’t there, they can drain from beyond the arc. Even if they can’t keep their fire from long range, their talent will turn the clock to midnight on the Cinderella Eagles. They’re a high profile Division 1 team; they are going to have better athletes and basketball players. I hate to see FGCU leave the big dance, but it just doesn't look like they can keep up with the Gators. I predict a close one, but Florida pulls it out in the end, 70-59.

Different Down South

#DunkCity

By Ryan Frisco

Photo Cred www.washingtonpost.com

Things down South look pretty usual in the Sweet Sixteen.  You've got #1 Kansas playing against #4 Michigan in the top round.  The bottom game is between #3 Florida and #2...wait, not Georgetown?  What?! Did you just say what I think you said?!  Yeah, it's #15 Florida Gulf Coast!  Wow, where did that come from?  Has that been done before? Nope. Huh. Looks like things this year are a little different down South.

Let's take a look at the first game.

#1 Kansas Jayhawks vs. #4 Michigan Wolverines

Kansas has taken the easy road to the Sweet Sixteen.  Round two was practically a shoe in.  The Jayhawks rolled over #16 Western Kentucky, continuing the top seed's unblemished record in round 2. Round three was more of the same, as they took down the UNC Tarheels by a comfortable 12 points.

Photo Cred www.cbssports.com

Michigan has had more proven competition along the way, but handled it much better than Kansas did. In round two they took on San Diego State, winning by 15.  Round three was against a much tougher opponent, VCU.  VCU was a surprise tournament team last year, and I had them going to the Final Four this year.  Michigan thwarted my bracket, throttling VCU by 25 points.  The Wolverines are legit.

So what's in store?  I'm going with Michigan.  Kansas is not the strongest #1 team, and Michigan is playing so well right now.  They're unstoppable.  The Wolverines have gotten red hot just at the right time.  I'm pretty sure the only thing that could stop them right now is the boys down at Florida Gulf Coast!

Prediction: Michigan takes down the Jayhawks with a final minute lead change, 74-71.

#3 Florida Gators vs. #15 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles

Like I said above, this is the first time in history that a #15 seed has made it to the Sweet Sixteen.  There are teams out there that have hurt a ton of bracket hopefuls, but none more than the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles.  They beat Georgetown, a team many had going to the Final Four, and most to the Elite Eight.  The only person in their right mind who would put FGC in the Sweet Sixteen is an optimistic father of a player who is blinded by love.  Or, they just know what these guys are made of. 

Photo Cred www.nytimes.com

Two big upsets, each by 10 points.  This is not your ordinary #15 seed.  The Eagles came to play!

Florida has a much different story.  They took the quiet road. They beat NW State in round two by 32 POINTS!  But no one talked about it.  They beat Minnesota by 14 in round 3.  No big deal.  Florida was expected to be where they are now, and no one's surprised.  They're good, but I think they're in a bad spot right now.  Being a #3 seed, lower ranked teams drool at the chance to knock off one of the big boys.  FGC is playing like a #1 seed at the moment.  I do believe the Gators may be catching this team at the wrong time.  I honestly don't think anything can stand in the Eagles' way right now.  That is a double meaning; no team can stand in the way of them winning, and no player can stand in the way of them dunking!  Have you seen this team the first two games?!  They dunk everything!!

Prediction: I'm going with the huge underdog, just for fun.  The Eagles drown yet another opponent in the gulf, taking down the Gators in a closer match, 77-73.

I'm calling two upsets down South, here we go!

Eastern Elites

According to Plan
By Caleb Musselman

photo cred: www.heraldtimesonline.com

In a bracket where upsets are becoming the new norm, the East has managed to come out unscathed. A 12, 13 and 15 seed have all snuck or, in the case of FGCU, dunked their way into the Sweet 16. There is a reason it's called Madness and not Monotony. Four days full of mayhem, and as the dust settles, the Big 4 in the East are still standing tall. Well, if we're being specific, Marquette is standing on one leg, and Indiana's knees are wobbling. But nonetheless, through nail biters and miraculous comebacks, Indiana, Miami, Marquette and Syracuse have advanced to the Round of 16. Many analysts have Louisville as the heavy National Champion favorite, but all four of the teams in the East have something to say about that. So what are we looking at?

East Match-ups:

photo cred: www.examiner.com

Thursday at 7:15pm - Marquette (#3) vs. Miami (#2)

This game is a very interesting matchup. Coach Buzz Williams has a funny way of finding his way into the Sweet 16 nearly every year. In fact, in both 2011 and 2012, Coach Lightyear has overcome adversity and reached the Sweet 16 (AND BEYOND, well not quite). Pardon my childish sense of humor. You've got a friend in me. 

2013 has brought with it many trials for the Golden Eagles of Marquette, but yet again, they have found a way to reach the teenage girl's Sweet 16 paja
ma party. Barely squeaking past Davidson in the Second Round, Marquette heavily relied on Vander Blue this past Saturday to beat a solid Butler squad. In a game that featured 17 lead changes, Blue scored 29 points and was a rock in the final minutes. On the other side of the ball, Miami held tough with a upset-minded Illinois squad and pulled through with a 4 point victory. There have been no easy wins for the Big 4 in the East.

photo cred: collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com

What to expect: First, expect a game that goes down to the wire. Reggie Johnson, Miami's center is out with an injury. If he played, I think Miami would be a 10 point favorite. With him out of the lineup, Miami will be forced to play a bit of a different defensive style. With Johnson in the lineup, the Hurricanes play a beat you up inside game. Without Johnson, Kenny Kadji and Julian Gamble must be extremely careful not to get into foul trouble. Thankfully for the Canes, Marquette's front court is not their strong suit. They rely much more on positions 1-3 to give them success. Even so, Marquette's bigs will be fed more often than usual.
Second, expect Larkin to go OFF. Shane Larkin is arguably the best point guard in the nation. Further, he's been waiting for his chance to shine in the limelight. Here you go Shane. Expect him to drop 25 and tantalize the Golden Eagles on both ends of the court. Miami leads throughout by single digits, Marquette makes a late run and Miami answers with a run of their own. Miami wins by 6.


Thursday 9:45pm - Syracuse (#4) vs. Indiana (#1)
There are 4 games in the Sweet 16 that have a little more sugar than the rest. Duke/Michigan St, Kansas/Michigan, Florida/FGSU (Dunk City) and Indiana/Syracuse. Indiana, with 5 National Championships, is arguably the most storied program in NCAA tourney history. In recent years, however, the Hoosiers have been in a bit of a coma. They lost in the National Championship in 2002, and haven't won it since 1987. Ironically, who did they beat that year for the title? Syracuse. These two teams haven't met in the tournament since.

Syracuse, with an overall tournament record of 56-35, has been a consistent tournament staple since Boeheim took over. With only one title to their name (2003 - Melo. Warrick. Enough said.), the Orange are desperate to get back to the Elite 8.

photo cred: www.news.yahoo.com

What to expect: First, expect Southerland to be blanketed. Last round Cal did a fantastic job of denying Southerland's outside game. Only going 2-5 from beyond the arc, he struggled to find open looks throughout the game. Indiana's first defensive goal is to minimize his impact. If he only gets off 5 threes, Syracuse won't have the offensive firepower to keep up with the Hoosiers. Second, expect Syracuse to struggle with Zeller. Cuse's 2-3 zone works wonders against smaller teams. However, with Indiana's pristine ball movement and half court execution, Zeller is going to find plenty of opportunities to inflict his wrath. Third, expect C.J. Fair to continue his 2013 dominance. C.J. Fair is Syracuse's best player. However, Indiana has the best on the ball defender in the nation in Victor Oladipo. Whether Oladipo matches up with Southerland or Fair, he is going to be giving up a bit of size. No matter who is guarding Fair, he's going to perform. Expect 20 from Fair without a doubt.

The key for Indiana is Oladipo. Against Temple, Victor forgot to show up until the last 10 minutes of the game. When he did Indiana proved to be too much for the Owls. Against Syracuse, if Oladipo waits til the final minutes to perform offensively, it will be too late. For Indiana to win, Oladipo must force his will upon the Syracuse zone, attack the basket, and get out in transition. If he does, Indiana has the upper hand.

The key for Syracuse is Triche. An absolute stud in his first two years at Syracuse, Triche seems to have leveled out in his senior year. Against Cal, Triche shot 1-8 from the field and his only make was a wide open trey. Triche is going to be guarded either by Hulls or Ferrell. Both players are small and crafty. Triche will have the ability to beat them to the basket because of his superior size and strength. If Triche takes the stage like we all know he can, he will be the X factor for the Orange. If he goes for 15, Syracuse has a slight advantage.

photo cred: www.espn.go.com

Prediction: Syracuse is a very good team that is close to being elite. However, their lack of a legitimate standout big man will be there downfall. Zeller goes crazy, Oladipo exploits the 2-3 zone and the Orange can't keep up offensively. An absolute dog fight throughout, Indiana wins by single digits.

The Orange rolls home and the Hoosiers are Elite. 

How the West is Won

Don't Upset the Fruit Basket

By Ryan Frisco

When I was in high school, we used to play a game called 'Don't Upset the Fruit Basket.' This game involved a circle of chairs and a person in the middle who is 'it.'  The person in the middle would say something like 'Get up if you're wearing jeans,' or 'Get up if you own a car' or 'Get up if you've ever

Photo Cred www.usatoday.com

peed on a fire.'  If the statement applied to you, you had to get up and find another seat.  The person left out was the new 'it' person.  Right now, the fruit basket that is the Western bracket in the March Madness tournament is definitely UPSET!!!

After three rounds of elimination basketball, the college basketball has been turned upside down.  A #15 seed has made it to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time ever.  We've got a play in team still alive.  In the West alone, over half of the games (7 of 12) have ended in the lower seed winning. What is happening?!

Let's take a look at what's going on in the West round four:

#9 Wichita State Shockers vs. #13 Lasalle Explorers

These two teams.  In rounds 2 and 3, both the Shockers and Explorers pulled out awesome upsets in a game they were supposed to lose.  The Shockers SHOCKED (I know, totally overdone) the Pitt Panthers in round 2, and took down the #1 seed in the West, Gonzaga Bulldogs, in round 3.  No one thought much of this team coming in, and I'm honestly not sure what to think at the moment, but one thing's for sure; they came to play this March.

Photo Cred www.blacksportsonline.com

Lasalle was a play-in team.  'Nuff said.  Play-in teams aren't supposed to make it past round 2.  Play-in teams surely aren't supposed to be anywhere near the Sweet Sixteen.  But here we are, and it's time to start taking the Explorers seriously.  What was the name of that game winning shot in round 3 again, Tyrone Garland?  THE SOUTHWEST PHILLY FLOATER BABY!!!!  GO PHILLY!

I'm not biased.  I have no legit preview for this game because I don't think anyone has any idea what will happen.  Neither of these teams 'belong' here, but at the same time they both belong more than any other except for Florida Gulf Coast #DunkCity.  In a year of no standout teams and tons of upsets, here's to a great game between two teams that deserve all of it.

Prediction: The Shockers run out of electric as Lasalle takes the Southwest Philly Floater viral in a trip to the Elite Eight - Lasalle 67 Whichita State 60

#6 Arizona Wildcats vs. #2 (The) Ohio State Buckeyes

Now that is more like it.  A #6 playing a #2.  These are the teams I'm used to seeing in the Sweet Sixteen.  Thank you Arizona and Ohio State for not being the teams that killed my bracket this year.

The Wildcats comfortably beat Belmont, than handled the Ivy Leaguers of Harvard who were hot off their huge upset of New Mexico State.  That game, by the way, was when I stopped looking at my bracket.  Arizona went into that game unfazed by the hype behind the Crimson.  Arizona is playing some great, solid, consistent basketball at the moment.  I picked them to win it all last year; guess I may have been a year too early.

Photo Cred www.zimbio.com

Ohio State has had an easy go in rounds 2 and 3.  They blew out Iona by 25 points. Their game against Iowa State was a bit closer than it should have been, but they're sitting in the Sweet Sixteen right now.  I've got them going to the Final Four against Louisville, but I'm starting to get nervous with that prediction right now.  Why, you ask?

Ohio State is great right now.  They've been great all season, hence a #2 ranking.  But, what you've done all season doesn't matter too much in the tournament.  Georgetown found that out the hard way.  So did New Mexico and Wisconsin, among a slew of others.  Arizona is on right now.  If I was Ohio State, I'd be scared to face an Arizona team that's won two games by a combined 40 points. 

Prediction: Arizona continues the upset parade in the West - Arizona 76 Ohio State 74

The Center of Attention

Sweet Like Sugar
By Caleb Musselman

Photo Cred: scottyfox.blogspot.com

In a tournament where high seeds are dropping like leaves in September, only the East region still has its top four seeds in tact. Halfway across the country in the Midwest, one surprise 12 seed is the lone blip on the radar. So who is left in the Midwest? Louisville stands tall. Oregon continues to surprise. Michigan St. keeps rolling. Duke stays in cruise control. 

Two big Friday night match-ups to watch:

Louisville )#1) vs. Oregon (#12)

Oregon's run through the PAC-12 tournament and into the Sweet 16 has been a cute story. But can they really handle this Louisville squad? The Cardinals, who seem to have turned from contender into shoe-in favorites, come into this match-up on top of the world. The most complete team in the nation, Louisville almost seems unstoppable at this juncture. Russ Smith scored 27 points as the Cardinals demolished a very good Colorado State team in the Round of 32. While most number one seeds were busy either losing or squeaking out nail-biters, Louisville seemed to be playing the JV squad in preparation for the next round. On the other side of the ball, Oregon comes into the Sweet 16 full of confidence and ready to prove themselves yet again. Winning an underrated PAC-12 conference championship, the Ducks have used that momentum to catapult themselves into a match-up with the nation's number one overall seed. Many people had the St. Louis Billickens easily making the Sweet 16 and giving Louisville a run for their money (I'm raising my hand). The Ducks had a different plan. Up 35-19 at the half, Oregon steamrolled St. Louis from the opening tip and never looked back. Damyean Dotson poured in 23 points to anchor an Oregon squad that shot 52% from the floor. 

photo cred: www.louisville.com

Now what can we expect on Friday at 7:15? First, expect Oregon to cool off. The length and athleticism of Louisville causes every opponent problems. Oregon will have to work very hard to find open looks. Oregon shot 72% from beyond the arc against St. Louis. Quite frankly, they're going to have to shoot lights out again if they want to win this game. Gorgui Dieng provides a very tough mismatch in this contest. Oregon center Tony Woods only played 12 minutes against St. Louis because of foul trouble. The Cardinals are going to feed Dieng early and often and Woods better be ready for a fight. Finally, the Ducks need to slow down Russ Smith from the start. If he makes his first few shots of the game Louisville is going to win by 15 at the least. If Oregon can slow him down they have a small shot. I think the Ducks Cinderella slipper falls off on Friday. Louisville by double digits. 

Michigan St. (#3) vs. Duke (#2)

This is going to be one of the best match-ups of the Sweet 16. Two of the best coaches in college basketball, Coack K and Tom Izzo, both know how to win. Michigan St. has transformed into tournament form as usual while defeating Valparaiso and Memphis handily. Duke, on the other side, has played well in two victories over Albany and Creighton. If it was merely up to coaching, this game could go to three overtimes. Actually that would be pretty hilarious. Coach K in short shorts. Anyways, the outcome of this game relies on two things. First, will Keith

photo cred: www.bleacherreport.com

Appling play? After a shoulder injury against Memphis, Appling says he is confident he will suit up against Duke. Appling is the key to the Spartans success. If he doesn't play they will lose. Second, will Duke continue to shoot well from beyond the arc? It is no secret that the Blue Devils live and die by the jump shot. They got away with a victory against Creighton by using their speed and athleticism to get to the hole. This Michigan St. team won't let that happen. Derrick Nix is an absolute beast under the

photo cred: www.college-basketball.si.com

basket, and expect him and Plumlee to punch each other for 40 minutes straight. 

If Appling plays, I believe Michigan St. has the upper hand. A more complete team with more experience, the Spartans can rely on different facets of their game to find success. Duke will need Curry to go for 25 and Plumlee to stay out of trouble. The Duke freshies bailed them out against Creighton. I don't see that happening again. Duke keeps it close down the wire, but Michigan St. leads most of the way and wins by 8. 

Bake your cookies, buy your Twizzlers and mix your chocolate milk. This round is going to be SWEET. Louisville and Michigan state advance to the Elite 8. Let me know what you think. 

Midwest - The Center of Attention

Four Score and 32 Teams Ago...

By Caleb Musselman

Two days ago I was chomping at the bit to get this tournament started. This morning I just finished shredding my brackets, buying a new box of tissues and flipping a coin on today's games. As was expected, the second round of this year's Big Dance has delivered. Each year for the past thirteen years a 12 seed has beaten a 5 seed. In each of the past six seasons, a #13 has toppled a #4. Fourteen times in the history of the tournament, a #14 has shocked a #3 seed. Only seven times in the history of the NCAA tournament has a #15 seed demoralized a #2. Well, as you might have guessed, all of these happened in the first two days of the 2013 tournament. In fact, three #12's (Oregon, Cal and Ole Miss), one #13 (Lasalle), one #14 (Harvard) and one #15 (Florida Gulf Coast) all won in a year that the word "upset" doesn't quite hold the same weight. According to ESPN.com, as of last night at 12 o'clock, there are now ZERO perfect brackets out of 8.15 million in their tournament challenge. 

With most brackets at least slightly demoralized, bracketeers around the nation still hold strongly to their Midwest picks. In fact, in the Midwest region, Oregon defeating Oklahoma St. was the only upset to speak of. Now, although upsets weren't a plenty during the first two days, the Midwest still produced some stellar competition. Let's break it down.

Round of 64

Photo Cred: www.bleacherreport.com

Louisville 79 North Carolina A & T 48 - Not much to talk about in this game. Louisville, the number one overall seed in this year's tourney showed no reason to doubt. Russ Smith topped the stat sheet with 23 points 5 assists and 8 steals as Louisville sent the Aggies packing. One thing to take note of: No player on the Louisville squad played more than 25 minutes. They will be ready and rested for their matchup today vs. Colorado St. 

Colorado St. 84 Missouri 72 - In a game between two of the top rebounding teams in the nation, Colorado St.'s front court dominance proved to be the difference maker. The Rams out rebounded Missouri 36-18 with Colton Iverson pulling down 13 boards of his own. Dorian Green led all scorers with 26 points as the Rams held a lead in much of this contest. Colorado St. shot 50% from beyond the arc (7-14) and never slowed down enough to led the Tigers catch up. One thing to note: Iverson only scored 4 points in 23 minutes. If the Rams can shoot this well again and get Iverson more involved in the offensive game, they have a shot at giving Louisville a scare. 

Photo Cred: www.oregonlive.com

Oregon 68 Oklahoma St. 55 - In the only upset of the Midwest, Oregon carried the momentum from their PAC-12 conference championship into their matchup against the Cowboys from the south. Up by 11 at the half, Duck Nation never gave Oklahoma St. a chance in this game. Oregon had four players in double-figures led by Arsalan Kazemi's 11 points and 17 rebounds. My guess is that Oregon loses its momentum against St. Louis and stalls out. Time to the Ducks to fly home for the off-season. 

St. Louis 64 New Mexico St. 44 - Another game that went as planned. Dwayne Evans took this game under his wing early on. He went 11-16 from the field for 24 points while being the only starter to hit double digits. The Billickens (what?) shot 46% from the floor for the game and used their size and solid team D to stifle NMSU. 

Memphis 54 St. Mary's 52 - Fresh off a First Four victory, St. Mary's used a second half surge to give the Tigers a serious scare. With solid tournament experience, the Gales had a chance for a last second game-winner from Dellavedova. In fact, Dellavedova, St. Mary's star senior guard, shot very poorly all day going 3-13. The Tigers can thank St. Mary that Dellavedova didn't get hot. If so the Tigers could be couch potatoes today. 

Photo Cred: blog.mlive.com

Michigan St. 65 VALPO 54 - I don't like to call any game laughable but this one was pretty close. Michigan St. came out in the first half with absolutely no discipline. Turning the ball over and attempting ridiculous alley-oops, the Spartans still led by 17 at half time. In a game that looked like men against boys, Derrick Nix (23 points and 15 boards) showed that he is one of the most dominating front court players in the nation. VALPO struggled against the length of Michigan St. and took too many bad 3 point looks. Spartans roll. Izzo is on a mission.

Photo Cred: www.usatoday.com

Creighton 67 Cincinnati 63 - This was far and away the best game in the Midwest round of 64. In the end, Creighton's no-nonsense half-court game won out against the athletic fast break style of CIncinnati. A tight contest from beginning to end, Doug McDermott scored 27 points and brought down 11 rebounds to lead the Blue Jays to victory. One thing to note: Gregory Echenique is a force to be reckoned with. Look for him and Mason Plumlee to have a physical battle on Sunday afternoon. If the Dukies don't shoot well, Creighton can take them down. Watch out. 

Duke 73 Albany 61 - Blue Devil fans across the nation breathed a sigh of relief as Seth Curry led his team to victory over Albany. Scoring 26 points, Curry led all scorers while playing stingy defense against the Albany back court. Albany kept things close throughout and showed a good sense of tenacity and passion. One thing to note: it is always a cause for anxiety when a big name school lets a team like Albany stick around. I don't see Duke making it to the Elite 8. In my bracket, I have Creighton topping them on Sunday. It's March Madness, why not go craaaaazzzyyyyy?

The Midwest didn't offer any buzzer-beaters or unbelievable upsets in the second round. What does that mean? It's safe to say the battles fought in other regions will transfer to the Midwest sooner rather than later. Louisville fights on toward their quest for the championship and that's why the Midwest is......the center of attention. 

Eastern Elites

And It Begins

by Eric Berkenpas

Day 1 is over of the 2013 March Madness tournament and there is already so much to talk about. My focus throughout the remainder of the tournament will be on the group of teams comprising the East Quadrant of the bracket. There was a lot of action already; an upset, a big time upset scare and a 47 point blowout victory. #1 seeded Indiana has yet to play but should be able to take care of business against James Madison today. Miami also tips off today and should also have no trouble in their game against Pacific but don't sleep on the Tigers as they are led by a coach who has some tournament experience and is looking to finish his coaching career strong. Anywho, let's jump into yesterday's action.

UNLV / California

Photo cred yahoo.com

This game was a great rematch game from December 9th that Cal lost in the last second 76-75. They were looking for revenge led by Jr. guards Justin Cobbs and Allen Crabbe. The game was tight the whole time and you really got the feel that it was going to come down to there very last second again. While Cobbs and Crabbe did most of the work, Sr. forward Robert Thurman who averaged only 4.8 PPG during the season erupted for 12 points off the bench and tacked on 5 rebounds. UNLV didn't seem to have an answer for Solomon or Thurman in the paint as they were able to score some easy baskets and combined for 23 points. Thurman in a post game interview had this to say when asked about being the 3rd leading scorer for his team; "Justin and Allen, they are fast guys and are hard to contain and I just made myself available and I just did what I do best; and that's dunk". And that he did as all 12 points were scored off dunks. UNLV also did not have an answer for Cal's zone defense that they switched to part way through the game. Freshman forward Anthony Bennett was about the only one able to get any kind of consistent game going against the zone. In the end, the story of this game was missed free throws. UNLV missed 9 of their 26 free throws and Cal hit an abysmal 43.8% of their free throws, missing 5 of 9 down the stretch when they could have easily closed out the game. In the end though, Cal was victorious and made the record books with Oregon as the first time ever two 12 seeds from the same conference won on the same day. Next up? Syracuse Orange.

Photo cred yahoo.com

Syracuse / Montana

So far, this was the biggest blowout of the tournament as the Syracuse Orange steamrolled the Grizzlies by 47 points, more than doubling their score. In fact, Syracuse could have just stopped playing after the first have because their 38 points would have beaten Montana's end game total of 34! Despite these numbers, I think the result came as little surprise to anyone. Montana had themselves a great season in the Big Sky conference, but were severely outmatched on every single inch of the floor by the beasts from the Big East. Brandon Triche led the Orange with 20 pts 4 assists and only 2 turnovers, nailing both 3's he took and DaJuan Coleman provided some good help off the bench with 12 pts and 6 rebounds. Southerland and Carter-Williams were pretty silent but didn't really need to make any changes offensively because it didn't take more than 2 minutes into the game to know who was going to win this one. Syracuse will face off against the California Golden Bears tomorrow and will definitely be much more tested. Many think Syracuse may be the surprise team to come out of the East and after yesterday's game, you gotta feel at least pretty good about them going forward.

Butler / Bucknell

Photo cred yahoo.com

Unfortunately, I was at work while this game was being played and I missed a pretty good one. It didn't come down the wire but it was hard fought and close the whole time with several lead changes. Butler never really grabbed the reigns in this game until the final 5-10 minutes. There was a point where Bucknell, down 11, went on a big run and took a 6 point lead and it looked like the Bulldogs were not going to recover and would find themselves headed back home come the end of the game. Lucky for them, Sr. guard Rotnei Clarke was not ready to end his collegiate basketball career and scored 11 of his 17 points in the final 8 minutes of the game. Andrew Smith finished the game with a double-double, scoring 14 points and adding a career best 16 rebounds. Despite Bucknell Sr. forward Joe Willman's career high 20 pts, the rest of his team couldn't rally behind him as no other player entered double digit scoring. Bucknell also did not play a very disciplined game as they surrendered 28 free throws to the Bulldogs who hit 25 of them. After this victory, Butler can relax for a day before they take on the Marquette Golden Eagles tomorrow.

Photo cred yahoo.com

Marquette/Davidson
Last time Davidson was in the tournament, Steph Curry lit it up and really emerged as a legitimate talent as he lead the Wildcats to the elite 8, losing by only 2 to the #1 seeded Kansas Jayhawks. Well this year they were back, this time as a #14 seed but with the same grit and attitude. They led Marquette almost the entire game, coming up short as Vander Blue scored a layup with seconds left in the game to give the Golden Eagles the victory. Davidson killed themselves at the free throw line making only 64% of their shots which, in a close game like this one was, makes all the difference. Jake Cohen scored 20 pts in the loss. This would have been the first major upset of the tournament and would have left Marquette speechless. They will now move on to face the Butler Bulldogs tomorrow. Look for another close game in that one.


Drop some comments and let us know how these games effected your bracket!