Category: March Madness (Page 4 of 56)

When Virginia Commonwealth’s name was called on Selection Sunday, there were more than a few eyebrows raised across the country. ESPN’s Dick Vitale, Jay Bilas, Digger Phelps and Hubert Davis even spent a few minutes railing on the inclusion of VCU (and UAB). In fairness, they weren’t arguing that the Rams weren’t a solid team, or even that they weren’t capable of making a run to the Sweet 16 or Elite 8, just that their resume wasn’t as good as those of Virginia Tech or Colorado.

But that didn’t stop VCU head coach Shaka Smart from using their words to motivate his team. The Rams had an especially tough road to the Final Four, and were underdogs in each and every game they played. It’s not like this was some underachieving team from the Big East. The Rams finished fourth (fourth!) in the Colonial Athletic Association, so their run to the Final Four truly came out of nowhere. Along the way, they’ve beaten five power conferences: USC (Pac-10), Georgetown (Big East), Purdue (Big Ten), Florida St. (ACC) and yesterday’s monumental upset of #1-seeded Kansas (Big 12).

And it’s not like these wins were nailbiters, either. Sure, the FSU game went into overtime, but they upended USC by 13, Georgetown and Purdue by 18 and Kansas by 10. They didn’t just beat these teams. They pounded them.

How did VCU do it? Despite being outrebounded on average by more than seven boards, the Rams combined stingy defense with the great tournament equalizer, the three-pointer. Try this stat on for size: In five games, VCU has shot better from three-point range (44%) than their opponents have shot from the field (39%). What’s amazing about the Rams’ hot shooting is that on the season, they made just 36% from long range.

America loves an underdog story and with VCU set to square off against Butler in the Final Four, we’re guaranteed that a mid-major will play in the title game for the second straight season.

That’s the great thing about a sudden-death tournament. And Muscle Milk would like to remind us that on any given day, the little guy can win.

College Basketball, External Sports, March Madness

2010-11 college basketball 2011 NCAA Tournament March Madness Shaka Smart

Saturday’s Final Four Schedule

March 27, 2011 / John Paulsen

From a press release issued by CBS Sports and Turner Sports:

CBS Sports’ exclusive coverage of the 2011 NCAA® Division I Men’s Basketball Final Four® on Saturday, April 2 (6:00-11:00 PM, ET) tips-off with Butler taking on VCU (6:09 PM, ET). Connecticut against Kentucky follows 40 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Jim Nantz, Clark Kellogg and Steve Kerr call the games along with Tracy Wolfson serving as reporter.
Coverage begins with THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR® (4:00-6:00 PM, ET) hosted by Greg Gumbel along with analysts Charles Barkley, Greg Anthony, Kenny Smith and Seth Davis, live from Houston, Texas.

I’d rather see Gus Johnson and Len Elmore work the games, but that’s a pipe dream at this point.

College Basketball, External Sports, March Madness, Television

2010-11 college basketball 2011 NCAA Tournament

Kentucky beats UNC, 76-69

March 27, 2011 / John Paulsen

The Wildcats held a slim lead for most of the game, but found themselves tied at 67-67 with 3:18 to play after Tyler Zeller hit a pair of free throws to cap a 10-2 run for the Tar Heels.

On the next trip down the court, Brandon Knight picked a great time to hit his fifth three-pointer of the game. Zeller’s tip-in cut the lead to one, but then DeAndre Liggins hit a three of his own to give the Wildcats a four-point lead with 0:35 to play.

Just like the VCU/Kansas game, three-point shooting was the difference in this one. Kentucky went 12-of-22 (55%), while the Tar Heels made just 3-of-16 (19%) from long range.

Kentucky joins VCU, UConn and Butler in the Final Four. They’ll play Kemba Walker and UConn on Saturday.

College Basketball, External Sports, March Madness

2010-11 college basketball 2011 NCAA Tournament Kentucky Wildcats North Carolina Tar Heels

VCU shocks #1-seed Kansas, 71-61

March 27, 2011 / John Paulsen

As I was watching the end of the Kansas/VCU game, I thought of the scene in “Ghostbusters” when the gang is trying to explain the situation to the mayor of New York.

Venkman: This city is headed for a disaster of biblical proportions.
Mayor: What do you mean, “biblical”?
Stantz: What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor, real wrath of God type stuff.
Venkman: Exactly.
Stantz: Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling!
Spengler: Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes…
Winston: The dead rising from the grave!
Venkman: Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria!

That’s how I feel about the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Heading in, I really liked three of the #1 seeds (Ohio State, Kansas and Duke, in that order) and felt good enough about Pitt to put all four #1 seeds through to the Final Four in my bracket. Fast forward two weeks and all four #1 seeds are gone, thanks to the VCU Rams, who upended the Jayhawks on Sunday.

How did they do it? What else…three-point shooting, the great equalizer. The Rams were 12-of-25 (48%) from 3PT, while the Jayhawks went a brutal 2-for-22 (9%) from behind the stripe. It wasn’t just one guy, but senior Tyrel Reed, a 39% 3PT shooter, was especially brutal, making just 1-for-8 from long range. The Jayhawks were also awful from the free throw line, hitting just 15-of-28 from the charity stripe.

Kansas outrebounded VCU 42-to-31, had four more steals, five more blocks and one fewer turnover, but it doesn’t matter if you are going to attempt 22 threes and only make two of them.

Jamie Skeen was big for the Rams, scoring 26 points, nailing 4-of-7 threes and hitting 10-of-12 from the free throw line. He also led VCU in rebounds with nine. Considering the competition, it was his best game of the season and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

The VCU Rams are in the Final Four. Not bad for a team that many thought didn’t even deserve a bid in the first place.

College Basketball, External Sports, March Madness

2010-11 college basketball 2011 NCAA Tournament Kansas Jayhawks

Butler, UConn punch tickets to the Final Four

March 26, 2011 / John Paulsen

Butler 74, Florida 71 (OT)
The Gators had a nine-point lead with 7:11 to play, but the gritty Bulldogs battled back and eventually tied the game with 0:30 to play. The Gators had a chance to win it, but Erving Walker’s shot was errant and the game went to overtime. The extra period was nip-and-tuck, but Shelvin Mack hit a big three with 1:20 to play to give the Bulldogs a two-point lead that they wouldn’t surrender. Butler makes it’s second consecutive Final Four, this time as a #8 seed.

UConn 65, Arizona 63
I attended this game, and the Wildcats looked like a completely different team than the one that shredded Duke for 55 points in the second half on Thursday. Derrick Williams scored 20 points, but shot just 5-for-13 from the field and 1-for-6 from long range, including a possible game winner in the final seconds. Kemba Walker (20 points) and Jeremy Lamb (19) spearheaded the UConn attack. Lamb is the real deal.

College Basketball, External Sports, March Madness

2010-11 college basketball 2011 NCAA Tournament

Category: March Madness (Page 4 of 56)

VCU silences critics with amazing run to Final Four

Saturday’s Final Four Schedule

Kentucky beats UNC, 76-69

VCU shocks #1-seed Kansas, 71-61

Butler, UConn punch tickets to the Final Four

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