Though, still rather close, top-to-bottom, Ina is starting to pull away a little bit from the pack. A rough day for Alexi sends him back to 3rd, only 10 points ahead of a hard-charging J.
DAY 9 SCORES:
Ina-230
J-216
Waters-214
Bry-212
Doogan-178
Lynch-152
Alexi-152
Stri-144
OVERALL STANDINGS (points behind leading score of 974):
Ina-0
Bry-87
Alexi-150
J-160
Stri-209
Waters-219
Lynch-258
Doogan-287
NEC CHAMPIONSHIP:
On their home floor, the Robert Morris Colonials avenged last year’s finals defeat to The Mount. Stri defended his 2008 CTC NEC title with a PERFECT BRACKET. Bry will share this title, as he also had a perfect bracket. Both Bry and Stri now have three 2009 CTC titles.
- #1 Robert Morris 48 – #2 Mount St. Mary’s 46. After an ugly, UGLY first half, the second half brought a bunch of Madness-style excitement. College-aged fans of the Robert Morris Colonials and middle-aged fans of the Philadelphia Phillies can now worship the same folk hero (at least in name), as some guy named Dallas Green hit the game-winning, last-second shot off a loose ball to send the Colonials dancing. Bry, Ina, J, Stri, and Doogan all nailed this champion pick. Alexi and Waters missed out on the upset, having The Mount.
FINAL NEC STANDINGS:
Stri-50 (defending champ)
Bry-50
Ina-42
J-40
Doogan-38
Alexi-28
Lynch-22
Waters-22
BIG SKY CHAMPIONSHIP:
In what would have been the most shocking champion of the CTC this year, Montana St. came up just short against Portland St. last night in Ogden, UT. The only one who picked Portland St. to win this tournament, J, will take home the 2009 CTC Big Sky championship by himself by a wide margin. This is J’s second 2009 CTC crown. Stri and Waters both failed to score in the entire Big Sky tournament. This is Stri’s second goose-egg this year.
- #2 Portland State 79 – #6 Montana State 77. On an amazingly dynamic and unselfish play by Portland St. point guard, Dominic Waters, Julius Thomas jammed home one of the biggest shots in the history of the PSU Vikings. Montana St.’s Cinderella run through the Big Sky fell 2 points short on Wednesday night. Only J got this one right. No one had Montana St.
FINAL BIG SKY STANDINGS:
J-30
Bry-12 (defending co-champ)
Ina-8 (defending co-champ)
Doogan-8
Alexi-8
Lynch-8
Stri-0
Waters-0
BIG EAST SECOND ROUND:
Another great night at MSG. I am sick and tired of people putting down this format. Why shouldn’t Georgetown have to play an extra game after finishing TWELFTH in the conference? How is that unfair? Maybe they should have won a few more games, huh? And, it’s not like DePaul is going to win this thing, so what’s the big deal? How is more basketball a BAD thing? I hate Jay Bilas so much these days. Ina, Doogan, and Stri nailed all four of these picks.
- #5 Marquette 74 – #13 St. John’s 45. Dominic Who? Without their emotional leader and their best defensive player, Marquette still held St. John’s o TEN points in the first half. They now move on to face Villanova in the quarters. Only Bry and Alexi missed this one, having Georgetown there. Lynch kept a finalist still alive.
- #6 Syracuse 89 – #11 Seton Hall 74. The ‘Cuse opened up a big lead in the first half. Seton Hall fought all the way back to tie it midway through the second, the The Orange responded and put them away late. Syracuse now moves on to face UConn tonight in the nightcap. Only Waters missed this upset pick; everyone else had Syracuse. Lynch, Doogan, and Ina kept a semifinalist alive in The Orange.
- #7 West Virginia 74 – #10 Notre Dame 62, Well, that should do it for Notre Dame. What a disappointing season for the Irish. WVU moves on to the quarters for a “Backyard Brawl” against the arch-rivals, Pitt. Bry and Lynch both missed the upset pick here.
- #8 Providence 83 – #16 DePaul 74. DePaul, who went 0-18 in the regular season, knocked off #9 Cincinnati on Tuesday and nearly did the same to #8 Providence Wednesday. The Blue Demons led this game late in the second half, but the Friars’ defense stepped up and moved them on to face #1 Louisville in the quarters–a game they might need to get in the tournament. Alexi and J both got this wrong–having Cincinnati in this spot.
PAC-10 OPENING ROUND:
The bottom four teams in the Pac-10 squared off at the Staples Center last night, getting this tournament underway. Bry, Ina, J, Alexi, and Waters all went 2-for-2 last night in this round.
- #7 Washington State 62 – #10 Oregon 40. A terrible season by the Ducks ends with 40 points. Wazzu moves on to face #2 UCLA today at Staples. Everyone had WSU in this one, and no one has them moving on.
- #9 Stanford 62 – #8 Oregon State 54. A nice season by the Beavers ended last night in an entertaining game that was close throughout. Stanford now gets top-seeded Washington tonight in the quarters. Bry, Ina, J, Alexi, and Waters all got this mild upset.
BIG XII OPENING ROUND:
An exciting day in Oklahoma City produced a couple upsets, including one big one. No one hit all four, but everyone got at least two. And, a star was born.
- #5 Texas 67 – #12 Colorado 56. The Longhorns avoided what would have been a devastating loss on Wednesday, but beating the Buffalos. Everyone got this game right, and Alexi kept a finalist alive.
- #11 Texas Tech 88 – #6 Texas A&M 83. I have watched a lot of basketball games in my life, and I have seen quite a few memorable performances, but I think I can honestly say that I have never, EVER seen anything like what I saw last night from a guy named Mike Singletary. No, not the 49ers coach and ex-Bears middle linebacker, but the power forward for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. There is not a cliche in the book that could describe how he utterly took over the game in the second half last night. Honestly, if was a feat that you HAD to see to believe. I saw it, and I still don’t believe it. But, regardless of how it happened, the Aggies (now probably back on the bubble, though they should be in) blew a 22-point lead in a game that looked completely over. There also has to be some praise given to a very good coaching performance by Pat Knight as well. No one picked Texas Tech. Ina, J, Doogan, Stri, and Alexi all lost semifinalists in this one, so they’ll be rooting for Texas Tech against Missouri tonight. Hey, if Singletary keeps doing that, this Red Raider team is going to cut down the nets. It was incredible!
- #7 Oklahoma State 81 – #10 Iowa State 67, In a game that the Cyclones led most of the way, OSU pulled away at the end, and may have gotten themselves into the Dance. They have a Battle of the Bedlam, Part III coming up on Thursday against arch-rivals Oklahoma. Waters missed out on the upset pick here.
- #9 Baylor 65 – #8 Nebraska 49. With all due respect to Notre Dame, Georgetown, Arkansas, and Oregon, the biggest disappoinment for me this year has been Baylor. They have WAY too much talent to have been so bad. But, the talent is still there and they hammered a solid Nebraska team on Wednesday. Now, they get a shot at #1 Kansas. Don’t count them out of that game. Bry, Ina, J, and Doogan got this mild upset pick.
ATLANTIC TEN OPENING ROUND:
A good quadruple-header in Atlantic City on Wednesday sets up the A-10 quarterfinals. Alexi was the only one to hit all four opening round games yesterday. Lynch, Doogan, J, and Bry all missed three of the four. But, in all the destruction, no one lost even a semifinalist, so this conference is still wide open.
- #5 St. Joseph’s 72 – #12 Charlotte 62. Charlotte led most of the way, but the Hawks came back in the second half to win the opening round game and set up a matchup against arch-rivals, the Temple Owls. Bry and Doogan missed this big upset pick. Stri keeps a semifinalist alive.
- #6 Richmond 65 – #11 St. Bonaventure 49. The Spiders flexed their muscles yesterday and shot a bunch of upset hopefuls back to reality. Bry, J, Doogan, Stri, and Lynch all missed this upset pick. Waters and Ina both kept finalists alive, in Richmond.
- #7 Duquesne 91 – #10 Massachusetts 81. In a back-and-forth affair, the Duke of Duquesne were able to handle the Minutemen and now move on to face #2 Rhode Island on Thursday. On Doogan, Stri, and Alexi got this right. Stri kept a semifinalist alive.
- #9 St. Louis 62 – #8 LaSalle 60 (OT). In a MAD way for a good LaSalle season to end, the Billikens win and move on to face #1 Xavier in the quarters on Thursday. Bry, Ina, and Alexi all got this upset pick.
CONFERENCE USA OPENING ROUND:
And, the pawns are in place for Memphis to run through this tournament again.
- #5 Houston 85 – #12 SMU 76. Houston moves on to a showdown with UTEP today in the Conf-USA quarters. Everyone had Houston winning this opening round game. Ina, Doogan, Stri, Alexi, and Lynch all have them going to the semis.
- #11 Southern Mississippi 77 – #6 Central Florida 53. A big upset and it wasn’t even close, as S. MIss hammers UCF in the opening round. They will now face #3 UAB in the quarters. Bry, J, and Doogan all got this upset correct. Nobody lost more than a quarterfinalist with UCF going out.
- #10 Rice 60 – #7 Marshall 59. In an exciting game, the Rice Owls are moving on. They will get #2 Tulsa in the quarters on Thursday. Bry, Ina, Lynch, and Waters all got the Rice upset pick correct. Stri lost a semifinalist, in Marshall.
- #8 Tulane 69 – #9 East Carolina 59. The Green Wave move on and are rewarded with a date with Memphis on Thursday. Stri and J missed the upset pick.
SWAC QUARTERFINALS:
Half of the SWAC quarters were on Wednesday night. Everyone got both of these games.
- #1 Alabama State 70 – #8 Alabama A&M 58. In a game that was little bit closer than expected, the top-seeded ASU team moves on to the semis on Friday. Everyone had Alabama St. winning this game.
- #2 Jackson State 72 – #7 Texas-Southern 65. Jackson St. probably didn’t expect the game they got from Texas-Southern, but they survived and will move on to the semis on Friday. Everyone got this pick correct. Bry, J, Doogan, and Alexi kept their champion alive.
BIG WEST OPENING ROUND:
The Big West started last night with a couple of opening round games. A pair of upsets, both called by Bry, J, Doogan, and Stri. No one lost more than one round.
- #8 UC-Davis 69 – UC-Irvine 68. UC-Davis got a bunch of people some upset points last night with a 1-point victory over the Anteaters. Only Alexi and Waters failed to hit this upset. Stri kept a semifinalist in the process.
- #7 CS-Fullerton 59 – #6 CS-Riverside 46. CS-Fullerton pulled off a mild upset last night. Only Lynch and Ina missed this upset pick. J and Waters both kept semifinalists alive.
MEAC OPENING ROUND & QUARTERFINALS:
The MEAC’s strange scheduling continued last night with three games in two different rounds. Bry, Ina, and Doogan hit all three. Ina still has a perfect bracket going here in the MEAC.
- #6 Bethune-Cookman 52 – #11 Maryland-Eastern Shore 47. In an incredibly ugly game, the Wildcats of B-C are moving on to the quarters, where they will face #3 Norfolk St. This game did have a good number of CTC implications. Stri lost a finalist with UMES going down. J kept a finalist alive with B-C. Also, Bry, J, Doogan, Ina, and Alexi all kept a semifinalist alive with B-C.
- #1 Morgan State 71 – #8 Florida A&M 41. In Morgan’s debut (a quarterfinal), they looked very, very good in hammering FAMU by 30. They move on to the semis on Friday. Everyone got this right.
- #2 South Carolina State 57 – #7 Hampton 56. Hampton JUST MISSED a big upset, in CTC implications. Alexi and J both lost semifinalists; Alexi lost a finalist. Everyone else got S.C. State.
I dominated the Big Sky! Where were you on that one, Ina???