Well, my picks suck, Belmont broke my heart, and Coach K and Evil are still classless gits.  My chili is being made as we speak (beef and pork with onions, shallots and green chiles Texas style... oh yeah).   There are some fun games this first session...  It's the Mid major session... Gonzaga-Davidson and Drake-Western Ky. are my games to watch.  St. Mary's Miami should also be a fun one to watch (If St. Mary's dictates the pace, they win.  They'll dictate the pace.)  Only Tennessee- American appears at first glance to be a snoozer, but never count out the Patriot League. 

Nothing annoys me more than the committee matching up mid-majors vs. mid-majors.  I really believe that this is done to avoid embarrassing the BCS conference schools more than necessary.  The big boys in college hoops really are sissies. 

WKU will have the best player on the court this morning.  Courtney Lee is phenomenal. 

If Tennessee- American is the TV game here, I will be very sad.

What should we be watching for?  Lemme know in the comments.

12:15 PM American- Tenn. is the first to tipoff, so we get the start of it.  Jeff Jones, former failure of a coach at UVa, now coaches AU.  Good to see him do well in the Patriot League... he and Ralph Willard are reclaiming their reps.  Tennessee certainly appears to outclass AU tho.  and the UT headbands are intimidating.

UPDATE 12:20:  By this point (16 minute mark) in the UT- Memphis game, I think the teams had combined for thirty points.  AU has dictated a slow down game quite nicely.  Speaking of WASP sounding names, their lead guard is named Harrison Carr.  Did you know Jared weighed 425 pounds in college?

UPDATE 12:25: Woohoo!  We get Gonzaga-Davidson.  I picked Davidson, because the Zags break my heart and my bracket every year.  I still love them tho.  I love what the success of Gonzaga says about the state of College Hoops.  A little school in the boring half of Washington, from a podunk conference of private religious schools, has become a national power.  But Davidson is good, and in Stephen Curry, they have the best player on the floor, which means a lot in the tournament.

UPDATE 12:30:  Davidson really does deserve note.  So far, they and Butler been the closest schools to being able to replicate Gonzaga's success at building a consistently strong Mid-Major.  Davidson is hampered by a criminally weak conference, and intense competition for players in the Carolinas.  But their success has been fun to watch.  McKillop is one heck of a coach.

UPDATE 12:33:  American is holding on to a lead.  These are hustlers with good court sense.  And Tennessee appears to be show boating a bit.  Not as exciting a game to watch as the run-and-gun Davidson-Gonzaga matchup, but American is starting to believe.  UT better crush them soon, or they may have the game of their lives today.

UPDATE 12:35: Austin Daye of Gonzaga is gonna be crazy good, and will probably be a 1st round pick if he declares for the draft.  He may also be anorexic.  I've met crackheads less skinny than him.  Have a sandwich, dude.

UPDATE 12:45:  Billy Packer is announcing Zags-Davidson.  Billy Packer HATES mid majors... I'm shocked he hasn't stormed off the air for being forced to broadcast this one.  "But neither of these schools have a D1 Football team!"  The Zags have a talented kid names Micah Downs.  He transferred from Kansas after some "issues."  Apparently Micah has a little bit of thug in him.  Note to parents:  if you suspect your son may have to spend time in prison, do NOT name him Micah.  He'll get unmercifully messed with in the joint.  There may be a less intimidating name than Micah, but I can't think of it.

UPDATE 12:48: Miami- St. Mary's, at least tempo-wise favors Miami right now.  Or would, if Miami wasn't sloppy and undisciplined.  Geez, sound like their football team.  Graham, Miami's Center, is an early favorite in the Charlie Villanueva Memorial "Player who looks most like a lizard" award.  And if I see the guy in the "Dude" commercial in real life, I will cut him.  I'm not kidding.

UPDATE 12:52: Three fun, uptempo games... I shoulda gone to a place with satellite and wifi.  GU-DU is the best game, but AU-UT is fun, and Drake-WKU is interesting as well... Drake is the consummate team, while WKU goes as far as Courtney Lee takes them.  great clash of philosophies.  Drake has Kyle Korver's little bro, Klayton.  The Zags have gone on a bit of a run to build an 11 point lead.  Gonzaga is a very run-oriented team, and has been throughout the Few era.  At their best, they are near-unstoppable... just can't get there consistently.

UPDATE 12:58: Davidson and Gonzaga are both sweet sixteen teams... seeing them face each other here is sad... but it's a fantastic game.  American is down by 6, and if they don't buck up here, Tennessee will extend before the half, and remember that they're the #1 team in the RPI.

UPDATE 1:02 PM:  This is not the most talented Zag squad in recent years.  But this year's team is interesting in that they create mismatches at all positions.  Their bigs are fast and can shoot.  Their guards are tough and quick, and can defend.  Micah Downs (6'10) has done a passable job when he's covering Curry (4'7").  And David Pendergraft hasn't let his status as a ginger, and his lack of athletic ability or real basketball talent keep him from being a solid player.  Think Brian Cardinal without the shooting stroke.

UPDATE 1:13 PM:  My chili is better than yours.  Drake can't like the pace the game is being played at... they're at a 80's or 90's pace, which definitely plays into WKU's hands. The Miami-St. Mary's game is being broadcast by Ian (Eye-an) Eagle and Jim Spanarkel.  Guess which one uses their real name professionally.  Halftime in Zags-Davidson... 5 point Zag lead, but this game is far from over... both teams playing reasonably well, and if Davidson start hitting more shots from the outside, this comes down to the wire.

UPDATE 1:18 PM: Drake WKU is a fun fun game.  too much good basketball at once.  Mascotology: Drake WKU.  The Hilltopper is essentially a less manly and unarmed Mountaineer, from what I can gather, except when he's a giant blob.  Either way, Davy Boy Smith or the Dynamite Kid would probably suplex him from the hilltop to the valley below.  Advantage: Drake.

UPDATE 1:22 PM: I'm officially sick of Jackie Moon.... hasn't that movie let the theatres yet?  And tell me, is weak stream such a bad problem that it requires prescription drugs?


UPDATE 1:30 PM: Everyone but AU-UT is at half.  Tennessee is so cocky... they're showboating and messing up.  AU's within 4, they believe... and Tennessee deserves to lose.  They probably won't, but they're playing like they deserve to.  There's a reason I have Butler beating them in round 2.

UPDATE 1:34 PM: I can't help but like this American team.  Not very athletic, but they play smart basketball and hustle.  They've made a few sweet passes to set up open looks, and they work very hard on defense.  They win the battles for loose balls.  Go Eagles.  Gonzaga-Davidson is back as well.. Davison hits an open three to kick things off.  This one will be fun.  God Bless America, and God Bless the NCAA Tournament.

UPDATE 1:42 PM: As much as I respect Bruce Pearl and the job he's done restoring the Tennessee program, this job is disgraceful today.  The UT guys are playing like it's a playground.  American is within a bucket.  Tennessee isn't good enough to be as flashy as they're trying to be.  Bruce Pearl is not gonna have a fun news conference after this one.

UPDATE 1:46 PM: Tennessee has started pressing, but AU has been breaking it quite effectively.  Sign of a well coached team.  AU just hit a huge three to tie the game.  It's not Evil losing or anything, but who can root against a 15?  Really?  Especially from the Patriot League.  Rooting against American aids the terrorists.

UPDATE 1:51 PM: Drake was down by low double figures, but with the pace of play what it is, they never appeared out of it, and now the Bulldogs are on a mini-run, down seven with Emmenecker on the line for two... this should be a great game til the end... the CBS producers will be having fun with cutaways today.

UPDATE 1:55 PM: One well timed Bruce Pearl timeout has swung momentum... Tennessee has scored 8 straight to take a 48-40 lead.  AU best answer fast, or they're done.

UPDATE 2:00 PM: Davidson is certainly hanging in nicely against the Zags.  They seem to love the hand-off play for the deep three, which seems set about three feet too deep to give a truly good shot.  WKU continues to run, Drake looks disorganized and out of it.  They are trying to run with them rather than play Drake Basketball... Keno is getting outcoached by Darrin Horn here.

UPDATE 2:02 PM: Just when you think they're dead, American makes a 9-2 run to pull within one... Tennessee quickly answers to push it to 4.  Tennessee has to be scared... the announcers have started rooting for AU, the real sign of "Upset alert."  Meanwhile, Davidson has tied it up.  They shoot so well, it's unreal.

UPDATE 2:05 PM: is Every Gonzaga NCAA tourney game an instant classic?  So many great Zag games over the years.  I'll never forget their amazing double OT game as a 9 seed against #1 Arizona.  Blake Stepp missed a last second runner to win it.  The crowd in Birmingham has gotten behind AU...  Davidson has taken the lead, so much great hoops.

UPDATE 2:08 PM: As I feared, the pace is killing St. Mary's... the slow down game is not their strength, and a mediocre Miami team is schooling them with tough D and somewhat plodding offense.  Keno and Drake just look outclassed right now.  A shame... the right matchup, and Drake could have done some damage.

UPDATE 2:11 PM: Stephan Curry has absolutely no conscience.  Most little people aren't quite as confident as him on a basketball court.  He's trying turnaround jumpers from 23 feet.  You can't teach the heart of a shooter... AU within six, the announcers are loving it... I'm afraid Verne Lundquist may have a heart attack or an orgasm (perhaps both).

UPDATE 2:15 PM: Davidson may be onto something.  I've never seen a team more dependent of 24 to 26 footers, yet if you give them to Davidson, they'll nail them.  I'm gonna station my sons 25 feet from a hoop and make them shoot till they hit every time.  And have you noticed that no one can make free throws anymore?  A strange and dangerous trend.

UPDATE 2:18 PM: The dream dies, I think...Tennessee up 9 with 1:24 to play.  Great effort by the Eagles, and I hope the Tennessee team is appropriately humiliated by their poor showing.  I don;t think they're long for this tournament.

UPDATE 2:23 Drake again showing signs of life... they've pulled within single digits with 5 minutes left.  Davidson Gonzaga is a blast.  Watching Davidson set up open threes is a clinic.


UPDATE 2:25: Stephan Curry with 37 points and a huge three to give Davidson a 3 pt lead with a minute left.  Unreal... he's fewer inches than that tall. And now St. Mary's has pulled back within single digits... no one dies today.

UPDATE 2:27: Just cut to a shot of Adam Morrison, looking disappointed and Jesus-like.  He was such a great college scorer... hopefully after this year off (injury), he'll become a good solid NBA player.  Drake pulls within 5, WKU charges back with a layup and one.

UPDATE 2:33:  I think Davidson has done it.  A fantastic game by two programs that represent why I love this game, and this weekend.  Stephan Curry is now a Carolina hero, and a bunch of ACC recruiting coordinators are getting their resumes in order.  Still hoping for a run by Drake and St. Mary to put the games  from kinda in range to in range.

UPDATE 2:36: Miami hits a clutch 3 to finish off St. Mary's... tough day for the WCC today.  Only 13 seed San Diego remains to defend its honor.  GTown has its hands full Sunday with Davidson.

UPDATE 2:37: Drake's pulled it within 6.  If the choices were keep playing basketball or go back to Des Moines, I'd fight like heck to keep playing too...

UPDATE 2:42 PM: Great pass by Emmenecker and a nice finish to pull within 6.  A turnover and foul later, Drake's within 4 with the ball... now within one after a Davidsonesque 3.  Wow.  The composure of this team is unreal... there's no accounting for it... they are not a telented team... but the intangibles are sky high in this bunch.  WKU looks down... they're ahead, but they sure don't look it

UPDATE 2:45: Wow, what a charging call that was... Not sure about it, but well done by Adam E.  The drama is sweet.

UPDATE 2:47: However it ends up, Drake gets much props for staying alive... First OT game this Tournament.  Darrin Horn and WKU must feel like a train hit them the last five minutes.  They looked like they thought the game was over.

UPDATE 2:53:  Brazelton has taken over the entire Offense for WKU... and since he's not the likely 1st Round Pick, that's a bad thing.  Even the announcers have noticed that they hadn't said Courtney Lee's name in ten minutes or so.  Drake by one, and Keno calls time out.

UPDATE 2:56: If the announcer makes another play on words involving Young's name, I'll retch.

UPDATE 2:57:  Hank Azaria, er, Darrin Horn is mad about that least foul... bad decision by his player, but I like having the last chance to win the game... bad decision by Brazelton to take it to the hoop, gets bailed out by an offensive rebound, and now to the line, down one, shooting 2... drama!

UPDATE 3:02:  After and Adam E miss and 7 second chances, WKU gets called for a loose ball foul.  Cox hits the first free throw to tie it, then Horn ices him with a TO.  No pressure kid.

UPDATE 3:06: He hits... Drake by 1, five seconds left. WKU with one last chance... see if Brazelton can pull a Hendersonesque flying knee to some innocent Bulldog.

UPDATE 3:07: Well, that was unexpected... the one random whitey on WKU buries a thirty foot jumper like it's a layup as time expires.  Game of the tournament so far.   My second Sweet 16 team goes down.  Boo.  Well, time to move on to Session 2.  Amazing afternoon.

We got most of the good games out of the way early.  Butler-South Alabama is a fun matchup, otherwise, lambs to the slaughter.  Certainly no match for the early session.

UPDATE 2:55 PM: Texas-Austin Peay... notable only for Austin Peay's cheer.  Let's Go Peay!  Otherwise, ugh.  UMBC was lucky to get a 15 seed, and G'Town will crush them.  San Diego and U Conn is fun because the Reverend Jim Jones' Grandson is on San Diego.  Barring some leftover Flavor-Aid to stick in the Huskies cooler, however, the Toreros have no shot.

UPDATE 3:00 PM: USA-Butler has tipped off. A J Graves hits his first shot for 3... when he's hitting, Butler is tough to beat.

UPDATE 3:04 PM: Apparently, there was a mix up, and South Alabama has to wear its JV uniforms... oh, what, those are their unis?  *gulp*... oof.

UPDATE 3:10 PM: Hope to find out soon what game we actually get on TV...  hopefully we stay on Butler-USA... USA looks legit so far, but it's wicked early... When AJ Graves doesn't get a touch on a trip down the court, brad Stevens, Baby Jesus and I all cry.  Get him the ball, run the O through him.

UPDATE 3:13 PM: The 3 point shot...  I wish I had a jump shot.  I swear there's always a mid to low-major with a place for a slow white guy who shoots lights out from outside.

UPDATE 3:16 PM: UMBC-GTown and Texas-APSU are underway.  Billy Packer is off of suicide watch as he gets to announce a major conference team.  The Retrievers are tied with the fightin' John Thompsons early.  Texas has gotten off to a 9-0 run to start.  Say good night, Governors.

UPDATE 3:20: Yeah, they're up 20-19, but Butler has to be alarmed by the pace of play.  20-19 with just over 10 minutes to play in the first half is too fast for the Bulldogs.  I've noticed that the younger/less experienced coaches this year have really had trouble with the opposing teams dictating the flow of the game so far... Keno and Winthrop's new coach have had serious pace issues.

UPDATE 3:26 Austin Peay will not be playing Sunday.  Texas is dangling their corpse in their teeth.  The Governors are getting gored by the Longhorns.  UMBC is hanging in early... I went to a UMBC home game once... their venue is odd.  Half convocation center, half high school gym.  And the Brown and yellow color scheme is not exactly pleasing to the eye.  At some point, Roy Hibbert is gonna get like the Chief in One Flew Over The Cookoo's nest and throw a Retriever guard through a nearby window.  Yeah, he's that tough.
UMBC is outrebounding* them so far.

UPDATE 3:30 PM: UMBC is using the Matchup Zone...  smart move if you can play it well, so far so good.  Butler USA has slowed down a bit, which has to please Butler Coach Brad Stevens, whose allowance will be raised to 15 dollars a week if he makes the Sweet Sixteen.  The contrast of styles, with both teams making the effort to dictate pace, make this one a very interesting game from a purist standpoint... the mental game is fun.

UPDATE 3:36 PM: I think Texas just removed Austin Peay's heart from its chest showed it to it, and then impaled it on a pike.  Yeah, APSU is toast. Texas appears to have better size and speed at all five spots on the board.  Butler has some cute cheerleaders.

UPDATE 3:40 PM: I think I'm gonna slow down here for a touch.  Butler-USA demand attention, as this is just a really fun game. UMBC has fallen back, and APSU is mud... barring an early San Diego lead, I want to watch some Butler-USA and see if I can find something pithy to say about it.

UPDATE 3:47: Wow, Butler has taken the initiative... having dudes who hits 3 after 3 after 3 will do that.  Butler will be around 50 for the half, so unlike them... and they are up 14.  certainly not what I would have imagined for this game... USA shows no signs of giving up tho, on a positive note.  Problem is, if Butler stays this hot, it doesn't matter.

UPDATE 3:50:  San Diego is discovering that stopping a 7'3" guy isn't easy.  They're hanging in quite well tho, especially considering the pace and feel of the game are par more Big East than WCC.  Physical play, and the officials are swallowing the whistles so far.  And halftime is coming just a bit too late for South Alabama... You tell me pregame that they score 30 in the first half, I'd bet they're within 5 points, ahead or behind.  They're behind by 17, as Butler cannot miss.

UPDATE 3:52: Despite my Big East honkdom*, I'm rooting for San Diego over UConn... I want Rob Jones to hit the gamewinning bucket, and then hear the announcers accidentally make a cult-related joke.  It has to happen.

UPDATE 3:58: San Diego is certainly outworking UConn... and the lack of quickness of UConn is a little evident.  San Diego up 2 with 11 min. left in the First half...

UPDATE 4:06: TOREROS +D is one of my fave eights.  AJ Price just came up injured, which is not good at all for UConn.  TOREROS takes SAD POM, which is probably offensive somehow in ways I'll never know. 
San Diego's Big guy, Pomare, is continuing the great play he exhibited in the WCC tournament.  If he can be a force, UConn is beatable. USD by 3, 7:52 in the 1st.

UPDATE 4:10: Dude, I want you gone.  I'm not kidding.  I've had enough of your stupid commercial.    The fact that you are not homeless saddens me.

UPDATE 4:15: USA-Butler back in action.  Butler starts with two turnovers, which USA converts for 4 points... Butler by 13, USA still with hope.

UPDATE 4:18: AJ Graves nails a three... oh well, so much for USA building momentum.  USD maintains a lead, which despite my above joke, is not unreasonable... San Diego has some horses, and UConn overachieved this year... I had Drake beating them next round for a reason.

UPDATE 4:20: G'Town and UMBC are back in action.  I think that UMBC was as close as it will get... certainly didn't embarrass themselves, but the Hoyas are too much.

UPDATE 4:35: San Diego has the five point halftime lead... who can resist the urge to say that Billy Grier has his guys drinking the Kool-aid so far today?  In all seriousness, Grier was the long time 1st assistant/future head coach presumptive at Gonzaga, and the influence in style of play and type of players recruited is evident.  Otherwise, the three other games in progress are all ugly.  Butler is shooting at an unreal pace, which has left USA vulnerable (couldn't resist, sorry).  UMBC has run out of fight, and the APSU Governors couldn't bring back memories of their late eighties Sweet Sixteen run, where they got jobbed by young guard Billy Donovan's Providence team and the officials... who gave the Friars a Time Out when they didn't have possession of a loose ball, awarded them possession, and Providence scored to win.

UPDATE 4:47:  I just want to pull EYE-an Eagle aside and scream in his face "Pronounce your name correctly!"  Really, a guy that dorky has no right to try to link his clearly fake name to a Louis Gossett, Jr. Movie.  The Cincy Contingent should know him, as he and Solomon Wilcots were the pair perennially assigned to games between the 5-11 Bungles and whoever they were playing.  They just showed the end of the Hampton/ISU classic... Steve Merfeld rocked.  AJ Price is out for UConn.

UPDATE 4:51: The Georgetown UMBC game is at that nebulous point where you'd like to believe the dog can come back (down 13, 7:14 remaining), but you're afraid to become emotionally invested in the possibility, because it's so remote.  Big Up to the Retrievers for a fantastic effort against their neighbors.  How much gas was wasted in having the Suburban Baltimore School and the Wash. DC school travel to North Carolina...

UPDATE 4:54: San Diego wants it, UConn seems rather blase about it all...USD by 9 early in the second.  I think that UCONN better change thinks fast, or their toast, especially without Price.  San Diego is playing UConn's game, and playing it much much better.

UPDATE 4:59: Pomare is good, UConn not so much.  The other three games have entered laugher territory.  Butler may have made the biggest statement of any team in the tourney so far with their destruction of South Alabama.  Butler need not fear any team in the tournament.

UPDATE 5:03: UConn finally starts to show a trifle bit of intensity... maybe Jim Calhoun threatened to make them stop stealing laptops... whatever it was, it was necessary.  Problem is, they've let San Diego get confidence...  and this is not a 16 seed like Albany a couple years back that will be helpless to the comeback... USD has the goods to hold on... whether they will remains to be determined, but the comeback, if it happens, will not be easy.


UPDATE 5:05: Thanks everyone... I think I'm done blogging for this tournament, at least til the Finals (a Finals liveblog seems in order, I think.)  If Pitt makes the Elite Eight, I might hit that too.  Hope y'all liked it, sorry I can't do tonite... enjoy this weekend; it's the best of the year.  Any ideas, comments, complaints, thoughts, etc?  leave em here or email me at petezeigler A T gmail D O T com.