BSB Live Blog: The Sweet Sixteen

OK, welcome to the first ever BSB Live Blog!  I think these things are all the rage on sports blogs, so why the heck not try it? The first 45 minutes of this will be really bad though because, honestly, I’m more concerned with eating my dinner than posting on here.

First Games: West Virginia vs. Xavier and North Carolina vs. Washington St.

7:19PM: As I write this, Xavier has already jumped out to an 8-0 lead and Bob Huggins has called a timeout to get things under control. The best news so far is that Bill Raftery is calling the game.  I must note that Xavier is playing “mantoman” defense.

7:28PM: As expected, CBS is switching us over to the North Carolina-Washington St. game. I’m fine with this.  Dick Enberg and Jay Bilas on the call.  I’m also fine with this.  A lot of people seemed to have decided to hate Bilas this season, but I’m not one of them.  He’s ok. I swear this will get better when I’m done eating. This Jamaican Jerk chicken is better than the Sweet 16 right now.

7:48PM: Well played beginning to the game.  WSU has forced some turnovers and they look good.  Obviously a heavily partisan crowd in favor of the Tarheels, considering the game is in Charlotte. 13-12 UNC at the halfway mark of the first half.

8:00PM: Things have gotten sloppy now and that probably favors UNC.  Both teams have had some bad turnovers, but WSU isn’t going to beat many teams if they’re not taking care of the ball.  UNC can overcome it and, so far, they have.  They’re up 5 even though Hansbrough hasn’t scored yet.

8:08PM: Under 4-minute stoppage, and the WSU turnovers have continued, while UNC got two open looks at 3’s and knocked them down.  Danny Green had a WIDE open look, which is the other thing the Cougars cannot let happen in this game. And Wayne Ellington made one of those shots that make him look like an NBA player.  With his size and smoothness, he can remind you of Kobe Bryant at times, but he doesn’t go to the rim like Kobe at all.  Not many guards do. UNC up 27-18.

8:19PM: Well, I’m gonna call this game over.  Washington State gave up another wide-open 3 at the half-time buzzer, this one to Ty Lawson, to put the Tarheels up 35-21.  It looks like the WSU gameplan was all about stopping Hansbrough in this game but, unfortunately for them, UNC is certainly no one-man team.  You know you have a good team when your sixth man can go out and put up 12 points in the first-half against a defensive team like WSU.  Tony Bennett and his staff will have to come up with some changes during half-time, but it looks like they’re beat.

8:39PM: With West Virginia having stormed back from a 28-10 deficit, CBS makes the switch back to that game.  CBS has gotten light years better at deciding when to switch games.  It turns out people would rather watch two really good teams in close game than watch a great team blow someone out.  It took CBS about 20 years to figure that one out.  West Virginia had cut it to one point, Xavier now leads 44-40.

8:48PM: Joe Alexander is taking over in the second-half.  A lot has been made about how Bob Huggins turned him into a post-player this year, but it really is an indication of how good a coach Huggins is.  He sees this 6’8″ face-the-basket player and just knows that he needs that guy to learn how to post up.  With his quickness and strength, Alexander is now devastating when he catches the ball near the basket.  I think he has 11 points in the half, with 11:39 to play.

8:57PM: Back and forth, back and forth they go in Phoenix!  I think WVU and Xavier just changed leads about 5 times in 2 minutes of play.  Alexander and the other WVU post players need to go at Josh Duncan with his 4 fouls.  They already have the momentum, if they can put Duncan out of the game, they’ll have the clear upper hand.

9:05PM: That was an AWFUL charge call on the baseline just now.  I’m sure Bry didn’t like that one.

9:19PM: It’s Madness!  This second-half has been great.  Josh Duncan has single-handedly kept Xavier in it.  He’s been a monster.

9:25PM: I’m not sure what Drew Lavender was doing on that last possession.  It looked like he just wanted to be the hero.  Why would you not push the ball up and get it to Duncan?  And a great shot by Alexander to tie it up.  This has really been the Alexander and Duncan show.  Whoever plays better in overtime will probably win the game for their team.  Both have 4 fouls though, so that could be huge.

9:27PM: Alexander’s out. Advantage Xavier.

9:37PM: Big shot by Lavender.  When guys are that short, don’t you just cringe every time they shoot?  I’m thinking, “Why not just pass it to that guy a foot taller who can also shoot really well?”.

9:52PM: Great game, obviously. The nail in the coffin was WVU inexplicably leaving B.J. Raymond wide-open for a 3 off an inbounds pass with 2 seconds on the shot clock. Xavier (and the A-10!) is on to the Elite 8. Nice!