The Oden Era Begins

On Wednesday night, Dan Shulman and Dick Vitale made it sound like the earliest that Greg Oden could suit up would be on the 16th against Cincinnati. Guess not...

I highly doubt he gets more than 15 minutes a game before the Florida game on the 23rd, but just having him adds a new element to the currently jumpshooting-heavy Buckeyes.

Two signs that the season is really getting ramped up: the 06-07 debut of games on CBS (and therefore Billy Packer) and no less than 15 conference games over the course of the day.

Speaking of that game on CBS, Tubby's eyebrows are Andy Rooney-style out-of-control. As for the game, it's observation time.

-Kentucky seems like they are on perfect course for the same kind of season as they had last year.
-Randolph Morris needs to have more of those kinds of performances. Hopefully the next time he goes 11-12 from the floor and shuts down a great big man defensively, someone on his team wakes up on the offensive end.
-Brendan Wright may not be among the freshman scoring leaders, but he needs to be mentioned in the same breath with players like Kevin Durant.

It looks like the ESPN idiot who forgot to schedule Wichita State-Syracuse was reading the blog and then scheduled it for the 400 of us who get ESPNU. To steal a British phrase, good on you, mate!

Games to keep an eye on the ESPN ticker for...

....because games to watch is all-too blog generic. And look for this feature on Monday's from now on. The caveat here would be that no game I pick from will be on the national TV schedule.

Tonight
Charleston at Kentucky
UAB at Western Kentucky
Oral Roberts at Tulsa
New Mexico State at New Mexico
UNLV at Arizona

Wednesday
Oregon at Georgetown
Robert Morris at Pittsburgh
Old Dominion at Marist
North Texas at Nebraska
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at Oklahoma State
Iowa State at Northern Iowa
Wake Forest at Air Force
Kansas State at California

Thursday
Villanova at Stony Brook

Saturday
Northern Iowa at Bucknell
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at Mississippi State
Saint Louis at Southern Illinois
Fresno State at Oregon State
Wichita State at Syracuse (what ESPN genius forgot to schedule this one???)
Villanova at Penn (you know the season has began when we start getting Big Fived!)
Holy Cross at Dayton
Boston College at UMass
Charlotte at Indiana
Akron at Oral Roberts
Loyola Marymount at USC

Sunday
Bradley at Michigan State
Evansville at Missouri
Bucknell at George Mason
Pittsburgh at Auburn
Virginia Tech vs. George Washington @MCI Center
Notre Dame vs. Maryland @MCI Center

Observations About Last Night in Vegas

Now THAT game had a late-season atmosphere. I'm not going to just bandie around terms like 'March-like atmosphere', but it had all the intensity of a mid-February conference game between two powers ramping up for March. Oh who am I kidding... it was a great game and it doesn't need a corresponding month of importance. Even if it is at the poor-man's Allen Fieldhouse.

I could hear a collective "What the hell?" from my fellow college hoops fans when The Deuce had the proverbial "technical difficulties" with 1:30 left in a tie game. The next six and a half made up for it, and then some.

It was nice to see Darrell Arthur succeed on a national stage like that, as he could end up being the Dallas area's best product since Kenyon Martin.

For the first 30 minutes the game seemed like a soccer match where one team has repeated chances to extend their lead, but just can't because the team they are playing is so strong. In fact even in the first half, as Kansas played their best basketball all season, I felt the game would come down to the wire as the Jayhawks just couldn't pull away.

An extreme rarity in that game was that a team with a lead made ALL its free throws down the stretch and still managed to throw-away a two-possession lead. That's what happens when the leading team fouls for no reason.

I really questioned Florida's bench and the quality of their depth before this game. In the first half, they made my questions seem very viable. I'm still not impressed with Walter Hodge, but Chris Richard made some key defensive plays in the second half and down the stretch to ensure that Florida kept it real close. But now, teams know that they can make Florida look oh so mortal if they can get a couple of those 'Big Five', if you will, in foul trouble.

Thriller in Vegas

What an amazing game of basketball. What a classic nail-biter. I'll come back and organize my thoughts later (today).

Conference Champions

Here we go and very quickly in a quick-hit manner. And, by the way, these have nothing to do with results thus far.

America East – Albany
Atlantic Coast – North Carolina
Atlantic Sun – Lipscomb
Atlantic 10 – Xavier
Big East – Georgetown
Big Sky – Eastern Washington
Big South – Winthrop
Big Ten – Wisconsin
Big 12 – Kansas
Big West – Long Beach State
Colonial Athletic – Hofstra
Conference USA – Memphis
Horizon – Wisconsin-Green Bay
Ivy League – Penn
MAAC – Marist
Mid-American – Akron
Mid-Continent – Oral Roberts
MEAC – Delaware State
Missouri Valley – Southern Illinois
Mountain West – BYU
Northeast – Long Island
Ohio Valley – Tennessee Tech
Pac-10 – UCLA
Patriot – Holy Cross
SEC – Florida
Southern – Charleston
Southland – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
SWAC – Jackson State
Sun Belt – Western Kentucky
West Coast – Gonzaga
WAC – Nevada

Highlights of the First Full Week

And by far my favorite highlight of the first week was Rick Majerus abbreviating Pierre Marie Altidor-Cespides as P-Mac during the Gonzaga-Rice game.

Other highlights would have to include Winthrop nearly beating North Carolina, then taking it to Mississippi State, a team some think will surprise in the SEC this season. Up next for the Eagles is 5-0 Maryland tonight.

The two biggest upsets to this point happened as well in the past week with Oral Roberts over Kansas and Georgetown getting beat by an Old Dominion team that didn't realize that on-campus games for the Hoyas were supposed to be walkovers. Twenty-four years of walkovers in fact.

Michigan St.-Maryland Reaction

Ok, the officials screwed up twice. First, the obvious shot clock violation (what horrible shot as well) and secondly, Ibok was just controlling the ball, spawning the dive (I don't even think contact was made). You see that kind of play in so many games and it is correctly no-called.

Gary Williams chose a very savvy move to foul the on-fire Drew Neitzel in the final seconds, though.

Speaking of Neitzel, I can't believe that this is the same guy from the February and March of last year. It's almost like he morphed into Gerry McNamara. Michigan State will be absolutely fine this season if that solid play can continue.

A Knight Controversy? Oh goodie...

The thing is it shouldn't really be much of a controversy at all. In fact, just in covering high school games in the DFW area last season, I saw the same type of thing happening from a hard-nosed girls' coach. Perhaps it would have been news if she had more career wins (but likely not).

Besides, when Bob Knight is talking to you, Michael Prince, you might want to look at him. He's won more games at this level than you have played in just about your entire life. He knows what he's doing.

Another thing I'd like to mention is how pleased I've been with the media on this one, as (for the most part) the consensus seems to be that this is not a big deal. Another good thing has been their mention of Knight's kicking Jarrius Jackson off the team for a couple weeks to get his grades up as a very refreshing thing Knight has done thus far in the fetal stages of this season. That's what we call fair, ladies and gentlemen.

As for the actual games, pretty much everything (from a national scale) has held serve, except for Virginia opening up their new barn against 'Zona's highly-touted team. And while that may seem like a big upset, it's truly not. Virginia has a very talented team, a superb backcourt and should be a force in the ACC.

The bigger upset, by far, was the good ol' Catamounts beating 30-percent shooters Boston College by 14 on the road in what could start out another America East championship campaign.

More is coming in the next few days, with my makeshift season predictions and other good stuff.

Annnnddd.....we're back

Due to my lackluster blogging of a year ago, I imposed NCAA restrictions on myself that I could not blog until after the Friday closest to October 15. I guess I could have started at 7 pm last night.

In any event, I’ll try and avoid gems like this for the 2006-07 season:

“Here is a very narrow limb I am willing to go out on: Florida will not win the SEC East or even come in second. Yes, you heard it here first.”

And the funny thing is that if Kentucky beats Florida on the final day of the regular season at Rupp, I end up being right!

What the national media are usually failing to tell you in the obligatory “Can Florida Repeat?” story is that after Florida started 17-0 against largely crap, they went 5-6 and were 8-6 in the SEC going into March.

Who was also 8-6 in the SEC going into March? Kentucky.

At that point in the season the odds Florida wins a national title and gets mentioned in the same breath as 1992 Duke would be about the same at Rutgers being undefeated in football in mid-October (wait…)

After one round...

(At least my final four are all still in...)

Nevada, I touted you to people as the best mid-major all year, as that's what you go off showing people. Other than Kemp and Fazekas, the rest of the team might as well have not shown up. Everyone might as well have not shown up on defense.

You can't help but be happy for Northwestern St. I thought they got jobbed by the committee being a 14, and would subsequently lose. They proved me and the country wrong...I did know, however, how good they could be (as if that counts).

Speaking of the committee, I'm going to bitch about them some more and blame them for giving me bad karma after messing up the selections *cough Air Force cough* so profusely. Yeah, that's it...

Hopefully, I wont be this bitter after the next round.

This...is Life

Watching Milwaukee-Oklahoma and Wichita St.-Seton Hall at the same time.

Here is my bracket, so at least I'm accountable for something.

This UWM-OU game looks like it will be very well-played and close.

The Hall are acting like brick-layers early on against the Shox.

Much more later.

The Final Bracket Projection

Atlanta Region
Greensboro
1. Duke (1) v. 16. Southern/Hampton
8. Wisconsin v. 9. UNC Wilmington

Jacksonville
5. Washington v. 12. Seton Hall
4. Florida v. 13. South Alabama

Detroit
6. Syracuse v. 11. San Diego St.
3. Illinois v. 14. Montana

San Diego
7. Nevada v. 10. Northern Iowa
2. UCLA v. 15. Pacific

Oakland Region
Jacksonville
1. Memphis (4) v. 16. Belmont
8. Indiana v. 9. Arizona

Dallas
5. West Virginia v. 12. George Mason
4. LSU v. 13. Northwestern St.

Dayton
6. George Washington v. 11. Bucknell
3. Pittsburgh v. 14. Murray St.

Dayton
7. Wichita St. v. 10. Alabama
2. Ohio St. v. 15. Penn

Washington Region
Philadelphia
1. UConn v. 16. Monmouth
8. Southern Illinois v. 9. UAB

San Diego
5. Kansas v. 12. Kent St.
4. Tennessee v. 13. Milwaukee

Greensboro
6. Michigan St. v. 11. Cincinnati
3. North Carolina v. 14. Winthrop

Dallas
7. Marquette v. 10. Bradley
2. Texas v. 15. Oral Roberts

Minneapolis Region
Philadelphia
1. Villanova (3) v. 16. Albany
8. Kentucky v. 9. California

Salt Lake City
5. Oklahoma v. 12. Missouri St.
4. Boston College v. 13. Xavier

Detroit
6. Georgetown v. 11. Texas A&M
3. Iowa v. 14. Iona

Salt Lake City
7. NC State v. 10. Arkansas
2. Gonzaga v. 15. Davidson

Seeds after Saturday

The final bracket prediction will be released after the SEC, ACC and Southland games are complete.

1: UConn, Duke, Villanova, Memphis
2: Ohio St., Gonzaga, Texas, UCLA
3: Illinois, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Iowa
4: LSU, Florida, Tennessee, Boston College
5: Washington, Kansas, West Virginia, Oklahoma
6: Georgetown, George Washington, Michigan St., Syracuse
7: Marquette, Nevada, Indiana, Wichita St.
8: NC State, Wisconsin, Southern Illinois, Kentucky
9: Arizona, UNC Wilmington, Arkansas, UAB
10: California, Alabama, Bradley, Northern Iowa
11: Texas A&M, Seton Hall, Cincinnati, Bucknell
12: George Mason, San Diego St., Missouri St., Kent St.
13: Xavier, Milwaukee, Northwestern St., South Alabama
14: Iona, Winthrop, Montana, Murray St.
15: Penn, Pacific, Oral Roberts, Davidson
16: Albany, Belmont, Monmouth, (Southern, Hampton)

Brackets after 3-9

Washington Region
Philadelphia
1. Villanova (1) v. 16. Delaware St.
8. Arizona v. 9. Kentucky

Detroit
5. Boston College v. 12. St. Joseph's
4. Iowa v. 13. Milwaukee

Dallas
6. George Washington v. 11. Seton Hall
3. Texas v. 14. Montana

Greensboro
2. North Carolina v. 15. Davidson
7. Wisconsin v. 10. Northern Iowa

Oakland Region
Dayton
1. Ohio St. (4) v. 16. Monmouth/Southern
8. Arkansas v. 9. Southern Illinois

Dayton
5. Oklahoma v. 12. George Mason
4. Pittsburgh v. 13. Kent St.

San Diego
6. Marquette v. 11. Bucknell
3. UCLA v. 14. Iona

Jacksonville
2. Memphis v. 15. Oral Roberts
7. NC State v. 10. Bradley

Minneapolis Region
Philadelphia
1. UConn (2) v. 16. Albany
8. Indiana v. 9. UNC Wilmington

San Diego
5. Kansas v. 12. Missouri St.
4. Florida v. 13. South Alabama

Dallas
6. West Virginia v. 11. Texas A&M
3. LSU v. 14. Murray St.

Detroit
2. Illinois v. 15. Penn
7. Nevada v. 10. Syracuse

Atlanta Region
Greensboro
1. Duke (3) v. 16. Belmont
8. Alabama v. 9. UAB

Salt Lake City
5. Georgetown v. 12. San Diego St.
4. Washington v. 13. Northwestern St.

Jacksonville
6. Michigan St. v. 11. Cincinnati
3. Tennessee v. 14. Winthrop

Salt Lake City
2. Gonzaga v. 15. Pacific
7. Wichita St. v. 10. California

So, I had a bracket made...

but Syracuse, Temple and Wake Forest all busted it in the highest degree, however.

What do these games mean?

Well, first of all, the Big East is going to have nine in, creating the surreal sight of teams from the same conference in the same half of a region.

Either Villanova or Duke is getting the No. 1 overall seed.

I can't see the Valley getting more than four (I know, great way to backtrack from a week ago, right).

Was anyone else reminded of Xavier-St. Joe's from two years ago when you found out that GW was knocked off today? Of course, an undefeated A10 record and an A10 quarterfinal loss are about the only similarities you can make between those two teams.

As for the rest of the A10 tournament, I will be rooting for La Salle. If you could see Steven Smith play, you would want him in the dance as well.

I'm going to put back together my busted bracket tonight during the Washington-Oregon game.

CAA Talk, New Bracket

Last week, I proclaimed that Hofstra needed to get to the CAA final to truly have a shot at an at-large.

Now that they did, and beat George Mason for the second time in a couple weeks the CAA might get three bids.

The best thing that could happen tonight for the league is for Hofstra to win. George Mason is a lock, and UNC Wilmington is likely in barring an embarrassment. The Patriots did probably kill off any chance that they would have had of a single-digit seed.

With Hofstra's win, they improve to 3-1 against the Top 50 and take the last spot in my bracket (for now, and I stress for now) over Florida St.

Yes, I am leaving a 9-7 ACC team out. Let's look at the facts though.

Against the Top 100, Hofstra is 7-4, with Florida St. at 6-7.

FSU has the 317th best non-con schedule, Hofstra is at 278 (both awful, but Hofstra less so). Meanwhile the Seminoles' best win outside of the ACC is Nebraska (RPI 111) in a game played in south Florida, while Hofstra's is a road win at LaSalle (RPI 92).

Even with a loss tonight, Hofstra's RPI in the 20s means that it would make no sense to leave them out, even you don't like RPI.

However, if Florida St. wins in a potential ACC quaterfinal against NC State, then you can book 'em.

The next team out in that case: Missouri St. Of course, everything can and will change before Sunday rolls along.

Watch out for St. Peter's and Keydren Clark tonight against Iona. Iona is heavily favored, but Clark is the active career points leader in the NCAA (yes JJ, I am correct), and sixth all-time. The Peacocks also pulled off a shocker last night in beating regular-season champ Manhattan.

Thanks to Davidson for making me look like a genius for my pick in the SoCon tournament.

Without any further ado, here are the brackets:

Washington Region
Philadelphia
1. UConn (1) v. 16. Albany
8. Alabama v. 9. Michigan

Salt Lake City
5. Kansas v. 12. Hofstra
4. Washington v. 13. Milwaukee

Dallas
6. Nevada v. 11. California
3. Texas v. 14. Penn

Greensboro
2. North Carolina v. 15. Davidson
7. Wisconsin v. 10. Northern Iowa

Oakland Region
Dayton
1. Ohio St. (4) v. 16. Fairleigh Dickinson/Southern
8. Seton Hall v. 9. Kentucky

Dayton
5. Boston College v. 12. Missouri St.
4. West Virginia v. 13. Western Kentucky

San Diego
6. Marquette v. 11. Texas A&M
3. UCLA v. 14. Pacific

Jacksonville
2. Memphis v. 15. Oral Roberts
7. Arkansas v. 10. George Mason

Minneapolis Region
Philadelphia
1. Villanova (2) v. 16. Delaware St.
8. Indiana v. 9. Arizona

San Diego
5. Florida v. 12. Bucknell
4. George Washington v. 13. Northwestern St.

Dallas
6. Oklahoma v. 11. Bradley
3. LSU v. 14. Iona

Detroit
2. Illinois v. 15. Murray St.
7. NC State v. 10. Cincinnati

Atlanta Region
Greensboro
1. Duke (3) v. 16. Belmont
8. Wichita St. v. 9. UAB

Detroit
5. Pittsburgh v. 12. San Diego St.
4. Iowa v. 13. Kent St.

Jacksonville
6. Michigan St. v. 11. UNC Wilmington
3. Tennessee v. 14. Winthrop

Salt Lake City
2. Gonzaga v. 15. Northern Arizona
7. Georgetown v. 10. Southern Illinois

Quick Hits

It looks like someone forgot to tell Georgetown that South Florida's only Big East wins were supposed to be in football.

Hilton Armstrong, you sir, are the best defensive player in the country (I'm looking right at you Shelden). Without Armstrong getting 9 blocks against Louisville, UConn loses at home today.

The 2006 Missouri Valley season will forever be known as the benchmark for any other mid-major conference in any other year.

George Washington had absolutely no business winning today. Let's forget about Leemire Goldwire's idiot play in OT, and focus on the front end of the 1 and 1 he missed with :39 to go. He makes those two, and the game is pretty much iced, with GW shooting very poorly from 3 at the time.

Seeding Update after a truly mad Saturday

1: UConn, Villanova, Duke, Ohio St.
2: North Carolina, Illinois, Gonzaga, Memphis
3: Texas, LSU, Tennessee, UCLA
4: West Virginia, Washington, George Washington, Iowa
5: Pittsburgh, Kansas, Florida, Boston College
6: Georgetown, Marquette, Michigan St., Oklahoma
7: Wisconsin, Nevada, Arkansas, NC State
8: Kentucky, Alabama, Wichita St., George Mason
9: UAB, Arizona, Indiana, Michigan
10: Cincinnati, Seton Hall, UNC Wilmington, Bradley
11: California, Southern Illinois, Missouri St., Texas A&M
12: San Diego St., Florida St., Northern Iowa, Bucknell
13: Western Kentucky, Kent St., Milwaukee, Northwestern St.
14: Winthrop, Penn, Pacific, Manhattan
15: Murray St., Oral Roberts, Davidson, Northern Arizona
16: (Fairleigh Dickinson, Southern), Belmont, Delaware St., Albany

Peoria in Bliss

Bradley is in as in can get after beating the Shockers. To deny seven Top 50 wins at this point would be theft of the highest order. This also probably clinches a four-bid Valley. Five might be cinched up with an SIU win later this afternoon. Of course, five could happen regardless.

Bracket Update 3-3

Washington Region
1. UConn (1) v. 16. Fairleigh Dickinson/Southern
8. Kentucky v. 9. Michigan

5. Boston College v. 12. Bucknell
4. George Washington v. 13. Milwaukee

6. Oklahoma v. 11. Cincinnati
3. LSU v. 14. Manhattan

2. Illinois v. 15. Murray St.
7. NC State v. 10. Bradley

Minneapolis Region
1. Ohio St. (4) v. 16. Albany
8. Arkansas v. 9. Missouri St.

5. Kansas v. 12. San Diego St.
4. North Carolina v. Northwestern St.

6. Florida v. 11. Texas A&M
3. West Virginia v. 14. Penn

2. Memphis v. 15. Georgia Southern
7. Wichita St. v. 10. UNC Wilmington

Atlanta Region
1. Duke (2) v. 16. Lipscomb
8. Arizona v. 9. George Mason

5. Michigan St. v. 12. Southern Illinois
4. Pittsburgh v. 13. Kent St.

6. Georgetown v. 11. Creighton
3. UCLA v. 14. Pacific

2. Texas v. 15. Oral Roberts
7. Alabama v. 10. Indiana

Oakland Region
1. Villanova (3) v. 16. Delaware St.
8. Nevada v. 9. UAB

5. Washington v. 12. Florida St.
4. Iowa v. 13. Western Kentucky

6. Wisconsin v. 11. California
3. Tennessee v. 14. Winthrop

2. Gonzaga v. 15. Northern Arizona
7. Marquette v. 10. Northern Iowa

Teams blowing bubbles: Syracuse, Seton Hall, Air Force, Colorado, Hofstra