Well, tomorrow brings the first two Elite 8 matchups. In the Midwest, Kentucky has to tame the hot shooting Marquette men. I think that Marquette has to come down from the high they are riding, but will it be tomorrow? Kentucky has been the favorite since the outset, but Wisconsin showed last night that the Wildcats can be slowed. If Marquette opens up with some perimeter shooting, they may make it a difficult night.

Another team of Wildcats then plays out West against the Jayhawks. Kansas played with heart to down Duke, but they had to climb on Nick Collison's back to do it. Can he turn in another superior performance? KU has the revenge thing in their favor, having coughed up a huge lead in December on national television at home. They would like to settle the score. However, it would seem that Arizona may have survived their scare against the Zags and might be looking for the highly anticipated battle of the Cats in the national semis.

Two games with some high octane squads. Should be fun to watch.

Both games on Saturday should be good. As a UK fan, I'm concerned about Bogans' ankle sprain during the Wisconsin game. I heard a CBS interview with Tubby Smith after tonight's games on the radio, and he sounded optomistic, but noncommittal. If Bogans is out, and the ones who would have to step it up the most (like Fitch or Camara) are just so-so, then I think Marquette has a very good chance. I don't think this team can rely on Estill for a whole game the rest of the way.

Marquette also has some big guys to line up against Estill -- Robert Jackson for one -- that was the major missing component of the Badger's game -- Mike Wilkinson got pushed around under the boards -- and UW even had to play Dave Mader, who is still recovering from a broken hand.

I think Jim & Cyd's prediction in "Jock Talk" today is way off -- Kintucky will not easily get by MU -- in fact they will lose -- and become the first #1 seed to finally go out in this tourney.

Go Michigan State! -- love seeing the Big Ten survive and reach the Elite Eight -- and to beat the defending champs on a missed Steve Blake shot made it even sweeter. Eat a Turtle! Hope the Spartans upset Texas -- although it will be tough on a virtual homecourt for the Longhorns. Dick Vitale was right for once saying that the NCAA has to get rid of these situations. Make the court as neutral as possible.

Hey Bucky and gang, can somebody tell me why it is suddenly a big deal that a team or two (Texas and Syracuse) get favorable sites for their games? I know there is an uncontrollable need to complain about the selection committee's work; I do it too. But, why has this become an issue this year?

I spent a couple minutes at an archive and looked back only to around 1984 and found that it happens virtually every year. For example 84: Kentucky and Louisville playing in Lexington, Washington plays at Pullman; 85: Auburn at Birmingham, Georgia at Atlanta, Oklahoma at Tulsa; 86: Ga. Tech at Atlanta, 87: (The much whining) UConn at Hartford; 2000 (the soon to be much whining) Mich St. at Auburn Hills (same distance as Texas to San Antonio). It goes on and on.

Is there no value on a top seed being rewarded for its season's efforts and for winning early round games to even get a shot at playing near home?

I hate to make a big deal out of this becuase Dickie V is loud enough for all of us. I am just wondering if I am missing something.

Hook 'em

The top seeds are already being rewarded by getting a cakewalk through those early rounds.

btw -- how pro Texas was the crowd in San Antonio last night? I couldn't tell from the telecast.

DCBucky is right - what realy ticks me off is when lower seeded teams get a home court advantage when playing the high seeds.

Wow not many upset Duke fans on the Board this year ! What's up

Bucky, I live in California now and was not at the game, but the reports from SA say the crowd was huge and loud for Texas. It's nice to see. We don't have much of a homecourt advantage at home b/c our arena is one of those "special events centers" that is too big and too quiet to do much. While the crowd helps, this team has never played in the Alamodome, so there was no advantage for having a feel of the gym, contrary to some reports.

Great first half by the Golden Eagles,should be NO Way that UK is not history.Now if Kansas can just bow up and take care of the other Wildcats,then the two teams that I most want to eliminate will be gone. I actually had Pitt eliminating UK,but I'll gladly settle for Marquette.Not to take anything away from UK and their winning streak,but it did come vs all SEC teams. As the tourney has played out it's become clear to me that the toughness of that conference is overrated,and actually pretty suspect.Unless Marquette totally blows it's cool,UK will have suffered 2 major defeats at the hands of teams from Conference USA. eek!

C'mon Marquette -- hang in there! WE ARE MARQUETTE!

Shocking!!! I picked Kentucky to win it all, but I could always see them going out to almost any other team in a close game. I never expected a 20 point blowout loss. It is nice to see some new faces in the final four!

Congrats Marquette ! Not even close playin the number one team !

Soft spot for them as I almost went there for undergrad after hi school in 76 - I wanted to be like my idol Tom Snyder (lol) then the next year they won it all. Great job !

OK It's crass -- but I'm gonna quote myself -- it's smack time. GO MARQUETTE!

My partner -- the Warrior alum -- and I -- the Warrior at heart -- are headed to New Orleans!

[ March 29, 2003, 04:01 PM: Message edited by: DCBucky ]

That was one of the more shockingly dominating performances I've seen in bringing down a #1 seed. Great stuff. Totally f'ed up my pool, but that's fine. I love to see teams like Marquette get to the Final Four.

Well, the two schools who were crowned to walk off with the national championship are both heading home. Kansas (while looking shaky throughout) held off a few spirited Arizona runs to make it to New Orleans. It should be an interesting matchup with Marquette.

Even if I had picked either UK or Zona to go to Nawluns (I didn't) ,it would be worth it to see them lose because of all the tv pundits who were decrying the fact that the "2 best teams" would be forced to play each other in the semis.What a load of hooey. It's debatable if these were actually the two best teams during the regular season or not,but I certainly never regarded them as invincible.It's like people just forgot about how poorly Kentucky shoots from the outside.Luckily Marquette realized that if you protect the ball and limit UK scoring off of their defense,then they really don't have much of an offense.

The Hawks showed a lot of heart, and had some guys step up big time. I feel pretty good about picking Kansas in the final (over Syracuse) because of the experience factor.Not only are they the only team returning from last years Final Four,but they have 2 returning superstars who got a taste last year and are hungry for more.The real challenge for the other three teams will be to keep their composure and focus,because absolutely nothing will prepare them for what they will experience in their first trip to the Final Four.If Syracuse and Mich St win tomorrow,it will set up another epic rematch since the Orange won a hard fought victory about a month ago in East Lansing.And more importantly,it will make my brackets look better. :cool:

Had a feeling ESPN and the NYTimes jinxed coach K and JJ Redick respectively. When I saw the Krzyzewski interview about his career appearances in the tournament without sound while riding the stationary bike at the gym it looked like an epitaph. And the Times flattering article about Redick's "pure shooter" image must have been required reading for the Jayhawks.

Right now the Hawks are looking good. Since they've already beaten my pick to win it all, I hope at least they'll put on a show next round.

[ March 09, 2005, 08:32 AM: Message edited by: sportinlife ]

Today's matchups should provide some more intrigue. Syracuse is playing about 60-90 minutes from home in Albany. How many orange-clad fans do you think will be showing up for this one?

Oklahoma has looked good in the tournament, but this is their first real test. Will they be up to the task? I think this game is a virtual toss-up. Syracuse was looking at a potential 2 seed in this region before losing in the Big East tourney. They do seem to be the two best teams out East.

In San Antonio, there is a very intriguing situation. You have a Texas squad that may be the best team in the nation. There is a reason the selection committee put them in the region that played the play-in winner. They are all of an hour or so from home. Lots of burnt orange fans will be there.

But they have played some really tight games. And Michigan State (my alma mater for the sake of disclosure) has played an amazingly well put together three rounds. They nearly gave up the store on Friday, but just when they should have folded they stepped up and won the game with some solid offensive plays.

If MSU comes out and plays upbeat and error free, I think we could see a 7 seed in the Final Four. MSU is so balanced and can play 9-11 players with ease. Texas is more reliant on the play of a few and the leadership of one. If TJ Ford has a career day, can anyone beat them? If he does not, can everyone potentially beat them?

I think it will all come down to the quality of play from the Spartans.

The NCAA commercial they keep showing: with the split screen, in black and white - that cute guy is so Gay ! I love how he says " I kawwncentrate " on that moment..

Not the first time, guys... you should have heard the screams around here last year (or was it year before last?) when Duke was scheduled for Greensboro.

I'm not sure about the opening round last year,but the Dukies met their Regional fate at Rupp Arena, which some of us fondly recall as Assembly Hall South.For the record, I thought that crowd was a lot louder than the crowd was in Albany today-but I imagine it was larger as well.A lot of orange on the screen today,but the scene last year,with a sea of Red in Rupp Arena remains one of the most vivid scenes I can recall in the last several years.Btw I agree wholeheartedly with the tv commentators- the crowd had very little effect on the way Oklahoma played.The Cuse zone totally befuddled that team,and exposed the Sooners' offensive liabilities that ultimately proved to be their undoing.And I know all about their offensive liabilities- I lost a few dollars betting overs on games the Sooners were involved in this year when neither team could score. eek!

Orange was the color of the day. I had picked Texas to get through, even though I love my Spartans. MSU never took control of the game, and Texas played a relatively clean affair. They deserved to win. I do want to point out, though, that they had an absurd number of fouls called for them in the second half. They shot 8 free throws in the first half. They shot about four times that many in the second. The referees were calling so much more crap in the second half, but Texas seemed to escape their wrath. At one point only 10 minutes into the second half, MSU had 13 fouls and Texas only 4. Two teams at this level just are not going to have that kind of discrepancy.

Sorry to rant, I really do think that Texas deserved to win. I just hate when the referees interfere in the flow of the game.

Syracuse was awesome. Oklahoma never had a chance.

I have to say I have a big crush on Brian Boddicker of Texas. Very handsome young man, and he plays pretty good basketball too!!!

Ahh yes, my alma mater, Texas, is in the Final Four for the first time in half of century, when the tourney was only an 8-team format. That was 56 years ago, before Outsports existed, before any of us were around. Heck, my parents weren't even born then. I am even attempting to get tickets to The Big Easy next weekend. And just to let you all know, I did pick them to go to the Final Four and get to the championship game losing to Kentucky. As long as TJ Ford is on the court, Texas is as good as anyone in the country.