The Holy Cross-Marquette game is a dandy! Just over 3 minutes to got and Marquette holds a 60-58 lead. And it doesn't hurt that there are some fine looking guys on these teams! If Holy Cross could hit free throws, they'd have a lead of their own.

Cal has seemed to hold a steady 7 point lead over NC State and Gonzaga appears to have control against Cincinnati. Oops now they are tied! NC State made a little rally. 66-66 with 1 minute left! Not really sure why they aren't switching over to this game right now.

[ March 20, 2003, 11:29 AM: Message edited by: George_vikingfan ]

Another "close but no cigar" for Holy Cross. They've given Kentucky and Kansas great battles innrecent years and now a valiant effort against Marquette. Final score-72-68. Travis Diener is pretty damned good!

And Cal-NC State are in OT! What a great start to the tournament!

Go Zags!!! Enjoy your last season with your coach. (he's gonna get scooped up by a major program. no doubt)

Go Cardinals (Louisville)

GO Wildcats (that is .. of the eastern U.S., Kentucky Wailcats.. none of this upstart... arriviste .... "Arizona" Wildcats)

Go Hoyas!! (oh never mind. we didn't get in this season...)

More final scores to report:

Cal 76 NC State 74 What an exciting finish!!!
Gonzaga 74 Cincinnati 69

I said it before, but it bears repeating-What a great kickoff to the tourney! Wow!

Gee...what a shame that Bob "Huggie Bear" Huggins couldn't keep calm. He was denied the wonderful opportunity of watching the Zags put away his woefully overrated Bearcats.

Also, Yeah for Cal...great game vs. NCState...both teams fought hard.

Yep, George...a GREAT beginning to the tourny!!!!

I was pleased to have watched the Zags beat Cinn. from world famous Jack $ Dans Tavern, right off the Gonzaga campus this morning. Great game. Cinn. Coach and game Announcer ejected!!!!
Zags move on.!!!! Yeah baby yeah! eek!

How are you guys watching the games? Are you at home today? I was all set to watch them as we can get local channels here at work but I found out they were switching to ESPN2. #%$@!

I'm feeling sick and may have to go home. frown

They're on ESPN, not the Deuce-at least until 5pm. One of the "benefits" of working until 4:30am is being home during the day!

Mizzou and Southern Illinois are in a battle with Mizzou up by 2 with 2:00 to go. And UConn beat BYU 58-53.

Arizona and Oklahoma are romping over Vermont and SC State respectively.


Update: Mizzou holds off SoIll in a nailbiter 72-71. Marquette-Missouri in the second round.

[ March 20, 2003, 02:17 PM: Message edited by: George_vikingfan ]

You're absolutely right, George, about the tournament starting out with some great games....the most disappointing part about these opening games so far was the atrocious "blocking" foul that was called against Southern Illinois in the final five seconds of regulation that won the game for Missouri -- that was one of the most obvious charges you will ever see with the SIU defender being planted in the lane like a statue well before Ricky Paulding of Mizzou started his drive to the basket....as hard as they both played, those teams deserved to play another five minutes and have the outcome determined in O.T., not by some highly questionable call by an official (and I'm NOT just saying this because I picked the Salukis as one of my two "big" first round upsets in the Outsports Pool).

With the games being switched from CBS to ESPN, I'm already glad I shelled out the $49 bucks for the tournament game package (and, unlike a few other posters here, I'm off work for two days so I get to enjoy watching all the games live instead of taking a "long lunch" from work as Bucky described) -- but if there are many more "buzzer beater" finishes like the Cal and Mizzou victories (which are the two games I've missed in my pool thus far, btw ), this has the makings of another exciting two and half weeks of March Madness.

I agree gamecock terrible call in that game.

Why is Tulsa winning a first round game considered an upset? I know they were a #13 seed, and they beat an ostensible #4 seed, Dayton. But Tulsa winning in the first round ... beating a higher seed ... doesn't that happen every year? (And the coach then gets stolen away by a major program, every year too.)

And Central Michigan winning ... the MAC is the king of the mid-majors. They win every year, too.

No upsets there.

Totally agree CITT. Any wins by a 9-13 seed are not upsets in most cases. Though I guess if Western Kentucky had beaten Illinois, but even that wouldn't have shocked me. There is so much more parity in the college game that there aren't as many shockers anymore. These "upsets" you mentioned were in seed only.

What did the Radio Announcer from Cincinatti say to get the T and get tossed.. I can see a ref tossing a coach (even if it is Hugins) during a regular season game but not in The Big Dance..looks like the Referees lost this one...first the Coach and then Radio Announcer...You're B-ball ref Dude.. have a thicker skin-the game is for the players-ignore the side shows.. Just curious -anybody from Cincy Town out there? Can you tell what they said to the Ref? Thanks.

Sounds like the players were none too happy with Huggins' tirade and ejection. Guard Taron Butler said, "That's the head of the monster. When you chop off the head it takes a toll on the whole team."

Huggins was ejected for leaving the coaches box and wouldn't return while continuing to argue a call. The radio analyst, according to today's paper, went "ballistic" after Gonzaga hit 4 free throws following the double technical on Huggins. He screamed obscenities at the official and was ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct.

And on a side note, what the hell was Huggins wearing under his blazer? When did leopard print become fashionable?

The final seconds of the last two first round games Friday night is what makes March Madness so incredible!....12th seeded Butler's player (Miller) hits an off-balance shot in the final six seconds to give his team a one point victory over #5 Mississippi State (which all the "experts" had going to the sweet 16 or elite eight), which I didn't think could be topped....but I was wrong -- I then switched over to the final 30 seconds of the Maryland-UNCW game and after Steve Blake hit a three to give the Terps a one-point lead with about 20 seconds to go, the UNCW center who had shot 40% FROM THE FREE THROW LINE all season sinks two clutch foul shots with five seconds remaining to give his team the lead -- only to see Terp Senior Drew Nicholas hit another leaning, off-balance three-point shot at the buzzer to send the defending champs to the 2nd round....what else can you say but WOW!

Even though I was rooting like crazy for Butler and Maryland (these two games gave me a 15-1 record in the tournament pool for Friday's games with my only wrong pick being St. Joe's overtime loss to Auburn) I was actually kinda happy to see the UNCW player (with the 40% free throw percentage) hit those foul shots -- maybe this sounds too gay (especially coming from someone as competitive as me) but particularly when watching college athletics I hate to see a team lose because one of their young 18-22 year old student-athletes failed in the clutch (unless he is a cocky, arrogant jerk which you rarely see at these small "mid-major" schools) -- these are the moments and memories that will stay with them well beyond their college years (not to mention their fans).

If the results of this first round is any indication, we're in store for one helluva tournament!...thank goodness there are 2+ weeks left to go for all us hoops fans to enjoy March Madness!

[ March 21, 2003, 09:31 PM: Message edited by: gamecock ]

The games both days have been excellent overall. I was so sad for the UNC-W guys at the end of their loss tonight. They played so well and really deserved to win. Nicholas' shot was totally off-balance and last second (or .5 second as it was), but it went in. That is why they play the games -- anything can happen. Still, the Seahawks winning would have been awesome -- even though my bracket said Maryland would win.

Butler had a great game. I thought Miss. State might do something in the tourney. Butler held them to 46 points and sent them home. Good for them.

Indiana played a great second half to turn back and Alabama team that was lucky to be in the tournament. They easily could have won that game.

My Spartans looked sharp tonight. Probably their best overall game of the season. Might be a little too late to be putting it together. Florida is up next. While they are the 2 seed I would like to play, I would rather be playing a 3 or a 4. We will see what Sunday brings.

I have been really impressed with the competitiveness of the games. Now, we will see if teams can carry over their level of play to the second round. I think some of the favorites may make things go a little more true to form.

However, watch Central Michigan against Duke. If both teams maintain their round one levels, there may be a major upset waiting to happen in that game.

Wow! What a night! My Hoosiers win (to send the Big Ten to 5-0 in the first round) and the Butler and Maryland finishes were incredible! There IS a reason they call it March Madness!

Next up for the Hoosiers...Pitt! GO IU!

Arrrggghhh! All this fun I'm missing. I can't the TV dial off CNN's Iraqapalooza. Help!

the tourney coverage is gonna be spotty. Yahoo is offering a package, where for $17 you can watch all the games on the computer.

Glad IU won. I get to see Coverdale again. and the Wildcats of UK too.

Glad Huggins and the Thuggie Factory went down in flames to the cutest team in the tourney, the Zags.

Glad to see Louisville win impressively.

you will notice that of all four coaches mentioned above, Pitino (my future ex-husband), is the only one who has run a clean program. Driesell caused a scandal at Maryland. Eddie Sutton at Kentucky and Harrick with .... welll.... there's too many to mention. wink