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. 

30 Degrees of Banking

NASCAR Nuggets: Autoclub 400

By Ryan Frisco

Seriously, I feel bad for people who aren't watching NASCAR these days.  Seriously!!  What was the one thing I said I was looking forward to this past weekend?  How the drama between Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin would play out.  If you somehow missed what happened, please watch the video below of the last lap at Fontana (that's Joey Logano in the 22, Denny Hamlin in the 11).

The Victor: Lost amid all hustle and scuffle that is Logano and Hamlin, people forgot the important thing about Sunday; Kyle Busch won the race!  Sitting there, waiting, watching from a distance as the two knuckleheads battled it out, Kyle picked the opportune moment to squeak past them in the final turn on his way to victory.  A great win for Rowdy, and much deserved.  He has had the fastest car on more than one occasion this year, and hasn't won because of stupid mistakes.  Now, to keep this up till Chase time, and then perform in the Chase!

Photo Cred www.espn.go.com

The First Loser: Oh, well looky here, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ended the race in second position!  NASCAR's former winner of most popular driver a million times in a row now finds himself atop the Championship rankings.  He did that pretty quietly too, as no one's really talked about him too much.  Five races, five top tens. Not too shabby Junior.  The last two runner ups (Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch) ended up winning the next race.  What do you think, will we see Dale in victory lane after the race at Martinsville in two weeks?

Pat on the Back: Two big names here, and both have been here before.  Kurt Busch is the first one, after coming in fifth.  That's his second top 5 of the year, and a really giant step towards his return to relevance.  Getting this sort of drive out of the car is huge for a team like Furniture Row Racing.  Keeping this up, and taking this car into the playoffs would be unthinkable.

Paul Menard is our next standout.  He finished eighth, which makes his third top ten of the year!  I still can't see him keeping up this pace, but I wouldn't be surprised either.

Logano vs. Hamlin (and Stewart) - This ongoing battle is awesome for NASCAR's TV ratings.  After an in-race and post-race altercation last week, these two came into California with questions; could Joey Logano catch Denny Hamlin, and if so, would anything come of it?  Well, ironically, and conveniently,  Joey did catch Denny, on the last lap of the race!  The two bounced off of one another, trading the lead numerous times.  Exiting the final corner, Joey had it and tried to spin Denny, who clipped Joey into the wall on his way around.  You saw it in the video above, not pretty, as neither won the race.  

Photo Cred www.docsportalstalk.com

No fines were given out, but Hamlin's extremely hard impact in the inside wall resulted in a compression fracture in his vertebrae.  He will miss at least five weeks, putting his championship dreams on hold another year.

After the race was over, Tony Stewart parked his car next to Logano's on pit road, and the two crews went at it.  Stewart was unhappy at Logano for running him into the grass on the last restart when Stewart had a run.  His momentum was stunted, and Tony fell through the field no his way to another poor finish.

So, if you didn't watch the race, that's what you missed.  Nothing much.  I'm sure you could see that kind of action anywhere.  No big.  Come on people, you're missing out if you're not tuned in Sunday afternoon!  I feel bad for you!

NASCAR is off for the Easter weekend.  I'll see you next weekend as they head to Martinsville, Virginia for the second short track race of the year.  If you don't remember what happened there last year, let me remind you.

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. 

Green - White - Checkers

Stop #5: Fontana

By Ryan Frisco

I know, I know, it's like 2:30pm on Sunday afternoon and the race is about to start.  Sorry guys, I've been wrapped up in the Madness of March, college basketball!  I'm working against the clock now, but that's where I thrive, so here goes; I'll be brief.

Photo Cred www.autoracing1.com

So from Bristol, Tennessee last week, the drivers move cross country to Fontana, California to take part in the circuit's one of a kind track, California Motor Speedway.  This track is 2 miles long, but isn't a superspeedway like Talladega or Daytona that requires restrictor plates.  The cars go fast here.  Without something to keep them all bunched up, I would say California sometimes results in the least amount of action on track.  It's so big, and so spread out.  Cars aren't crashing a ton, people are rarely passing each other.  Unless you blow a motor, your car does as good as it is.  If you were ever going to fall asleep during a NASCAR race, this would be the one.

But please, don't let that pull you away!  These cars are hitting speeds of 200 mph!! Just because there aren't big pileups and lot's of action doesn't make it any less dramatic!  One thing I'm looking forward to; the drama between Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano.  Joey was upset with Denny last week.  Denny didn't make it any better when he said he wasn't worried because Joey could never catch up to him on the track (not a direct quote, just an indirect implication Denny made).  I think that statement is true though, and I'm curious to see if Logano can in fact get anywhere near Hamlin on track without pulling a Gordon and stopping and waiting for Hamlin to come back around a lap later.

Photo Cred www.youtube.com

Side Bar: Was anyone like me as a kid playing NASCAR video games, and always turning around and crashing the whole field going backwards?

My predictions: Kevin Harvick will win.  I don't know why.  Rousch has always been good here (Kenseth won three times) and I'm sure Gibbs will be fast.  Hendrick's always fast, and you can never count Keselowski out.  But, I'm going with Happy Harvick, just for the heck of it.  

Bring it on guys, let's make this exciting!

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!

How the West is Won

Can You Say Upset?!

By Ryan Frisco

Wow, only one day into the NCAA March Madness tournament, and already the big boys are falling.  Now I may not know much about NCAA basketball, but I definitely know enough to realize that a #14 seed beating a #3 seed is quite a feat, and not something that happens every day.  Let's take a look at yesterday's results.

Photo Cred www.wbur.org

#14 Harvard 68 - #3 New Mexico 62: I went to bed last night before this game even started. Looking at my bracket, I was in fair shape going into it.  I had picked a couple of poor choice upsets that didn't happen, but nothing to kill my hopes.  New Mexico would pull this one out, and I'd be smooth sailing into Friday.  Turns out, I picked the wrong upset.  

In my recent memory, I can't remember an Ivy League school ever winning a tournament game.  Harvard had never won one, and I assumed there'd be no shot of them winning against a great #3 seed New Mexico squad.  That was not to be the case.  Harvard came out this year ready to go.  Last year they were just excited to make the tournament, as it was their first appearance since 1946.  This year, they had a different goal in mind; winning.  And they did.  Behind a stellar defense, Harvard held New Mexico's top shooters in check and cruised to their six point victory thanks to the hot hand of Laurent Rivard, who nailed five 3-pointers in the game. 

Photo Cred www.sportsillustrated.com

The question now; is one tournament win enough?  The obvious answer is no, but do the Harvard Crimson have what it takes to knock off another good team in Arizona?  My gut feeling is they don't, but you never know. I've got someone in my work pool who picked Harvard to win the Title!

#1 Gonzaga 64 - #16 Southern University 58: Wow.  That was close.  Gonzaga was sweating some bullets there.  When it comes down to it, I'm pretty sure no #1 seed will ever be able to blow the first round of the tournament. It's just never happened, and I think the pride of being #1 will always prevail when it comes down to it.  But man, there have been some close calls through the years!

It wasn't a crazy comeback to win like we saw with Marquette.  It wasn't that Gonzaga got too comfortable with a lead and let it slip.  It was just a close game, start to finish.  The Zags never pulled away, the Jaguars never slowed down.  If not for a big 17 point second half from the big man Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga may very well be the sole blemish among #1 seeds in first round play all time.  But, nonetheless, the Bulldogs came out on the other end on top, and live to play another day against the Wichita State Shockers, which brings me to my next game...



Photo Cred www.cardiachill.com



#9 Whichita State 73 - #8 Pittsburgh 55: This game was not supposed to go this way.  The seeding is only one spot different, but the Pitt Panthers were supposed to win this game.  Now granted, most people probably thought the game would be close, but the outcome was shocking.  An 18 point blowout?!  What in the world happened?!

Somehow, someway, the Shockers held Pitt's leading scorer, Tray Woodall, to two points.  That's insane.  Without Woodall's leadership on the court, the Panthers had no shot.  I feel for Woodall.  In his final collegiate game, he had arguably his worst performance as a college athlete.  He was obviously emotional after the game.  But, I can't say I'm surprised.

I had a feeling the Shockers would come out on top in this game.  Pittsburgh is a choke artist.  Pitt Basketball, Pitt Football, probably Pitt Shuffleboard teams.  They always have and always will be.  I picked Whichita State to win this game, and was pleasantly unsurprised.  So can they dethrone Gonzaga?  My guess is no.  Gonzaga showed some jitters first round, but that was from being ranked #1 for the first time in school history.  They made it through and are in their zone.  Now that Wisconsin is out of the picture (they just lost!!) Gonzaga will roll over the Shockers (who only have one Shock in them) and into the Elite 8 with ease.

Photo Cred www.wbtv.com

#6 Arizona 81 - #11 Belmont 64: Nothing real special about this game.  Arizona was the lower seed in the matchup, Arizona should have won the game, Arizona won the game no problem.  On to round two against a Harvard Crimson team with a head of steam!  I'm thinking this game will be a better game than it should be, and better than expected.  I'm still calling Arizona in round two (for the sake of my bracket!).

I'm currently watching the scores coming in today, and I can't wait to report these tomorrow.  It's MADNESS out there!  As for my bracket, I'm toast...as is most other people, except for that one person who chose Harvard as the Champ.

The Untouchables

Indiana: Beast from the East

by Eric Berkenpas

Photo cred www.mail.com

 After starting the season ranked #1 in the nation, it's no surprise to see Indiana grab one of the tournament #1 seeds. In his 5th year as head coach, Tom Crean looks to continue the growth into excellence of his team by improving on the Sweet 16 departure to the hands of the eventual tournament champions last year, the Kentucky Wildcats. He has his Hoosiers' sights set on a much greater accomplishment; that being to cut down the nets on April 8. As everyone knows, this never comes easy and this year, more than any, there are going to be many legitimate teams all vying for those same honors. It is going to take a considerable amount of focus, discipline, consistency and heart to take home that gold plated trophy this year. Let's explore the road that Indiana must take if it wants to be crowned champion in April.

Round of 64

Photo cred www.usatoday.com

Indiana will face either Long Island University Brooklyn or James Madison University in the first round. Both of these teams can threaten you from the 3 point line which in theory should not trouble the Hoosiers too much as they have faced and beaten some of the best 3 point shooters in the nation on Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State. Long Island boasts a threesome of very potent scorers in Jamal Olasewere, Julian Boyd and C.J. Garner who average 18.9, 18.5 and 16.1 PPG respectively. James Madison scores from a larger variety of players as they have 6 players who average between 6 and 13 PPG. Rayshawn Goins is the leading scorer and will need to be kept in check in the paint. In the end, Indiana should have no problem dismissing either of these teams. They play too tight of defense and neither Long Island nor James Madison will have an answer for Cody Zeller.

Round of 32 and beyond

Beyond the first round, having no knowledge of who Indiana will be playing in the remaining rounds assuming they win each game, the remainder of this discussion will encompass my expectations for Indiana and what teams they should look out for down the road.

Photo cred cityofbasketballlove.com

The first team that could give Indiana some trouble is the Temple Owls. They are careful with the ball on the offensive side of the court and have one of the better players in the country in Khalif Wyatt who has the skill to take over a game. He dropped 33in a win against Syracuse and 26 in a close loss to Kansas. He received A-10 Player of the Year awards and is ready to help his Owls make some noise in the tournament.

Syracuse is another team that could make some noise in the tournament. Brandon Triche, Michael Carter-Williams and James Southerland are just three examples of the high talent this team has. If Southerland can get hot from the perimeter, there are not many teams that can beat the Orange. They also have arguably the best coach in the league. You can never count out a Jim Boeheim coached team in March and April.

Photo cred bleacherreport.com

The last team and very possibly the biggest threat for Indiana is the Miami Hurricanes. Duke was the favorite in the ACC at the start of the season but the Canes had something else to say about that. We can't forget that January 23rd dismantling of the #1 ranked Blue Devils. The Hurricanes hit a bump in the road at the end of the regular season but got back on track by rolling through the ACC Tournament. They play arguably the best defensive game in the country and have some dynamic scoring from Shane Larkin, Kenny Kadji, and Durrant Scott who can all score from anyone on the court.

Photo cred sportsillustrated.cnn.om 

Indiana will find success if they can get consistent play out of their all star, Cody Zeller. Sure they have defensive sensation Oladipo who can light up the score board and Christian Watford and Jordan Hulls who can shoot the 3 ball effectively, but at the end of the day, the Hoosiers go as Cody Zeller goes and if he can play at an elite level game in and game out, there are few teams in the field who can match up against them.

My prediction for Indiana is that they roll through the first round, edge out the Temple Owls and Syracuse Orange en route to losing to Miami in the Elite 8.