Day: March 22, 2008

Michigan State’s Drew Neitzel may not have had the senior year he dreamed about, but it’s not over yet. Neitzel scored 21 and hit every big shot down the stretch for Michigan State. Combine that with a stingy defense that held Pitt to 32% shooting fro mthe floor and 2-17 from behind the line and the Spartans moved on.

The Big 10 has been maligned all year, yet two of its team moved into the round of 16.

Darren Collison hit two driving layups in the last minute to help the Bruins survive an upset scare from Texas A&M. The Aggies controlled most of the game, but Kevin Love hit a big three and then a couple of post shots to bring the Bruins back, setting the stage for Collison’s heroics.

UCLA has the toughness you need to win it all. They have experience and with Love inside they have the paint scoring that they lacked last year. Every team has to survive a close call to win it all. This very well could be the Bruins.

With half the bracket set, two things stick out. First Kansas dominance and Wisconsin’s defense. That should be a great match up down the road.

Marquette has a three guard tandem that wreaks havoc with opponents. On this night it was Stanford’s Twinn towers who prevailed. It took the Cardinal til overtime, playing without their head coach who was tossed earelier in the game, to finally subdued the competitive Warriors (oops old nickname, but that’s how they played). Brooks Lopez hit a baseline jumper with 1.3 seconds to go for the win. All Marquette could do was reach up to no avail.

As long as the basket is 10 feet high, the taller player will always have the advantage. Tonight it was Stanford’s turn to reap the rewards.

Over in Omaha, Kansas used a smothering defense in holding UNLV to 27% shooting to route the Rebels. Kansas was deadly from the perimeter and scored inside when they needed a big basket. Four players scored in double figures and it could have easily been 6. Two games and they still have not been tested. Next up for the Jayhaws will be Villanova or Siena.

Coaching Note: In the past coaches who have been ejected during a game have not coached the next one. Let’s see how Stanford handles this one… My vote is let him coach!!

In case you missed it department: East Carolina announced that they have taken the interim tag off Mac Macarthy and given him a five year deal. Also, John Brady, only a couple years removed from the Final Four at LSU, was hired at Arkansas State.

A few years back Bob Huggins was quoted as saying that the media decides who the good guys are and who the bad guys are in college basketball. He has always relished the idea that he has been given the “black hat.” However, after deciding to return to his alma mater and then leading them to the Sweet Sixteen the question is can he switch hats?

Today his Mountaineers beat the ultimate “white hats” of college basketball. Duke and Coach K has always been treated as royalty by the media, but on this day Huggins get to wear the white hat. West Virginia flat out hustled and beat up the Blue Devils. They outrebounded the Blue Devils 47-27 and exposed Duke as a one dimensional team. When they make three’s there good, but on this day they did not. Realistically, they should have been beaten the first night by Belmont.

Huggins has taken over a finesse team (under John Beilein) and reshaped them in his own image. They play with a ruggedness and swagger that might just get them over the hump and into the Final Four. Joe Alexander came back from an opening game aberation to record a double-double. Not bad for a guy who played very little last year.

I always thought the Purdue was a year away and Xavier’s senior Drew Lavender proved it. But before you shed a tear for Matt Painter, realize that he has everyone back and they will challenge for the Big Ten title for the next three years. Lavender was outstanding in closing out the game at the free throw line by going 8-8. The win sets up a grudge match between West Virginia and Xavier.

Wisconsin proved why it won the Big Ten. They play smothering defense. They made Beasley work for every point and they held Kansas State to a goose egg behind the three point line. When you play Wisconsin you have to make jump shots. They do a great job of shutting off the inside and are too big to push around. Trevon Hughes scored 25 and Wisconsin’s guards outscored the Wildcats guards by 30. If the Badgers can shoot the way they did today they can make Bo Ryan’s first Final Four appearance a reality.

Washington State’s defense clmped down on Notre Dame so hard that they were only able to shoot 24% from the field. Meanwhile, Derrick Low led three Cougars in double figures with 18 points. They look so much like Wisconsin it is scary. I guess the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. This team looks just like the Badger team that his father took to the Final Four. If defense wins championships, then mark it down for Washington State.