My mind

Where has it gone? I've lost it due to the insanely good play in the Butler/LSU and CSUN/Memphis games. If only BYU didn't mail it in...

My cell phone and facebook chat has exploded at the hands of the Northridge effort. What a game this is. 8:33 left and Memphis just turned the ball over with CSUN up 3. Amazing.

Also, Butler currently down 2 with just under 5 minutes left. Bulldogs and Matadors, don't fail me now.

Ole!

Matadors of CSUN just hit a three to take the lead by one with 13:52 left in the second half. Still tons of game to be played but Memphis is playing the worst defense they have all season. Northridge guards are in the lane and by them in transition before the Tiger defenders even turn around.

Still a long ways to go, but the Tennessee area is certainly consuming less oxygen right now.

First break

It's half time in all three early games in today's tournament action and surprisingly the closest and most entertaining game so far is the Cal State Northridge Matadors versus the Memphis Tigers. The fifteenth seeded Matadors have handled the press of Memphis very well in the first half and only trail by three. If they can continue to hang around the way they are playing an upset would not be out of the question here.

BYU started atrociously against Texas A&M. They've trailed big most of the first half and have had to use the three point shot to keep this thing even remotely interesting. The Cougars trail the Aggies by twelve at the half. The key to this game has been the A&M defense as they have drawn at least three offensive fouls that I've seen while skipping back and forth between the games.

The other eight versus nine matchup finds Butler trailing LSU by six at their break. Butler, like BYU, started quite slowly but have done better to battle themselves back into the game and keep it close by halftime. Butler should be able to play a better second half as they shouldn't be expected to keep shooting an abominal 34% from the floor. It's not all Butler's woes that are the key here though as LSU is shooting 50% from the floor including three three pointers and have only missed once from the charity stripe.

All great stuff so far, let's go Matadors!

Another game started

BYU tipped off against Texas A&M not too long ago. I took the Cougars in this one but I am confident that is only because my alma mater resides in the MWC and I am hoping for a decent showing from our two representatives (Utah being the other). The Aggies have jumped out to an 11-3 lead after nearly three minutes of play...not a great start for my pick here. Though it doesn't entirely bother me as it's hard to root for BYU for me, and their losing doesn't destroy my bracket.

I love March.

Off and running

Cal State Northridge playing Memphis in the first round. This fifteen versus two seeded game is obviously not supposed to be close. Many have Memphis going to the championship game as they entered the tournament as the second overall ranked team. The Tigers look pretty sluggish to start as the Matadors of CSUN have started the game on an 11-4 run.

I didn't pick it in my bracket but having a friend that is an alumnus of CSUN I am pulling for them...Go Matadors!

Here we go!

NCAA tournament starts right now. First game on the slate is Butler versus LSU. Should be a close game between two pretty solid teams. This is the eight/nine match-up from the South region where North Carolina is the top seed.

Enjoy the games today, more updates as the games continue to roll out throughout the day.

SyraConn, wowzers!

I just wanted to post something about the Syracuse vs. UConn game that went six overtimes last night. It is easily the greatest game I've watched in my lifetime, and I'm not even a fan of the Big East. You have got to respect the efforts put forth by both teams in last night's effort. Jonny Flynn from Syracuse played sixty-seven of a possible seventy minutes...just remarkable. Especially since he was still able to break down the Huskies off the dribble until the very end. The turning point for this game was when Connecticut's Thabeet fouled out. This let the Orangemen into the lane unchecked from that point on.

After not leading a single time in the first five overtimes Syracuse gained it's lead in the sixth extra frame on a Routins three pointer that was well defended but splashed the net regardless. 'Cuse never looked back in the final overtime and went on to win the longest Big East, and the second longest NCAA, game ever played.

I also want to give a quick shout out to my alma matter, San Diego State Aztecs. They beat UNLV for the third straight time this season in the first round of the Mountain West Conference Tournament. Hopefully yesterday's win puts them into the big dance but nothing is for sure as the many top teams continue to fall in their conference tourneys (I'm looking at you UConn, Pitt and the Big XII). A win today against a BYU team that the Aztecs have yet to beat this year would surely put them in as the Cougars are headed to the NCAA Tournament already.

It should be another great day in college basketball, enjoy the games!