Duke-Louisville Elite 8 Preview

Cook and Duke will have to handle Siva and Louisville's pressure defense

It's a rematch of titans and one that is worthy of being the national championship game. On one bench sits Mike Krzyzewski, the greatest coach since John Wooden, and on the other is Rick Pitino. Pitino is highly successful and his Louisville squad is the overall number one seed. Standing in their way of the Final Four is Krzyzewski's Duke team that has finally regained full health and has been playing tremendous basketball. Both teams won by double digits in the Sweet 16 and now Duke is looking for its 16th Final Four berth while Louisville is looking for its 10th.

This weekend I have been volunteering at the Midwest Regional in Indianapolis and have had the opportunity to work closely with the media, watch the games and sit in on press conferences with players and coaches. I figured that since I had the All-Access pass in Lucas Oil Stadium I might as well use it to get a little work done on the blog and so today I sat in on both teams' press conferences and the quotes and comments used are directly from today's press conferences.

The key to tomorrow night's game will be Louisville's Gorgui Dieng. The 6'11" center from Senegal averages 10 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, but did not play due to injury in the November 24th match up in Atlantis in which Duke won 76-71. Dieng's rebounding and shot-blocking will be key to the Cardinals' game plan as they prepare to face Duke's talented front line of Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly.

"With Gorgui back in the lineup, it definitely gives us another dimension to the game," said Louisville point guard Peyton Siva. "You can never really replace Gorgui. He's playing good right now and is definitely going to help us out a lot."

There's no doubt that Dieng does give Louisville another dimension to the game, and Duke realizes that he will be a game-changer and they respect his talent.

"He's one of the best players in the country," said Krzyzewski. "I think it helps their defense to have a great rim protector, because they hit you with different types of defenses, and you can be even more aggressive knowing that your basket is protected. I think any team in the country would love to have him."

"I think he does the best job on their team of protecting the rim," added Duke center Mason Plumlee. "Obviously blocking shots, but also altering shots. I think he gives them a different dimension."

On the Duke side the focus will be on Seth Curry. The senior shooting guard was lights out against Michigan State in the Sweet 16, hitting 6-9 three-point field goals and scoring 29 points. However, Curry has struggled in the second game of stretches with quick turnarounds and in the third round game against Creighton he was just 2-9 from beyond the arc. Despite the numbers, no one on Duke seemed concerned and Curry was optimistic that he would be at his best tomorrow night.

Curry and the rest of the Dukies must be on top of their game if they are going to handle the pressure that Louisville will bring at them. The long, athletic Louisville squad forced 14 Duke turnovers back in November and nine of those were committed by the starting guard trio of Curry, Quinn Cook and Rasheed Sulaimon.

"We know how they are defensively, and we know one of the big keys of the game is to handle that pressure," said Sulaimon. "It's very hard to prepare for a team like Louisville, but knowing that we played them earlier in the season does help a lot."

"I think they're a better team now and they're playing the best basketball in the country, especially with Dieng there," added Cook. "We didn't see how they played with Dieng so I know our coaches are doing a great job preparing for those guys and I think we'll be ready."

Obviously there are plenty of story lines surrounding this game and one of the major ones is the fact that this is the first time Krzyzewski and Pitino have met in the tournament since the 1992 East Regional in which Christian Laettner hit the famous turnaround game-winner from the free throw line to send Duke past Kentucky. Both coaches were eager to reflect on that game and say that sharing that moment has actually strengthened their relationship.

"Rick and I are real close friends and I think he's one of the best ever," said Krzyzewski. "Our relationship was good before that game and after the game it's grown exponentially."

Pitino also had high praise for his counterpart saying, "I think it was such a high-scoring game with so much perfection in the way the players passed and shot the ball, that's what made it stand the test of time. That was fun to be a part of, and I've always loved Coach K from before that moment to today. I think he's everything our game stands for in a good way."

The other story line attached to this showdown is the looming conference realignment that will put Louisville in the ACC along with Duke. Pitino is reluctant to look into the future and comment on what that change will bring, but Krzyzewski sounded anxious to have the ACC add so many quality programs and voiced his opinion that, with the additions, the ACC could be the best basketball conference of all-time.

For now, Louisville and Duke will meet as non-conference foes with a trip to the Final Four on the line. Duke won the first match up of the season, but things are different now and the stakes are higher. If Duke wins then Krzyzewski will tie Wooden for the most trips to the Final Four, and if Louisville wins it will be their second straight trip to the Final Four.

If the game lives up the hype then it will be one of the best games of the season. Tip off from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis is scheduled for 5:05 ET on CBS.

Title or Bust in Bloomington? Hoosiers Exit Early

No college basketball fan will ever forget it: Indiana's Verdell Jones brought the ball length of the court only to find junior Christian Watford trailing the play. Watford would then drill what will stand as one of the biggest shots in Indiana basketball history to take down the number one ranked Kentucky Wildcats last December. The shot signified the resurrection of Indiana University basketball and showed just how far Tom Crean had brought the program. Things were looking up and for all the right reasons. Crean was honestly building a program with not only quality and talented players but quality and talented students as well. The team boasts a cumulative GPA that is over 3.1 and coming into this season, the Hoosier faithful had every reason to get excited.

The expectations were high, especially after a Sweet 16 appearance last year. Pre-season All-American big man Cody Zeller was coming back for his sophomore season and Watford decided to hang around for his senior campaign. Throw those two in with the top 5 recruiting class that Crean hauled in and the thought of a trip to Atlanta seemed like a no-brainer.

Crean has done a marvelous job of restoring IU basketball

The team steam-rolled their way to a 24-3 record before dropping three of their last six games before the Big Dance, including a 12-point loss to the Wisconsin Badgers in the B1G Tournament semi-final. Not to worry Hoosier fans, they still captured the regular season B1G title and received a number one seed heading into the tournament. The Hoosiers were in odd form in the NCAA Tournament, though. They destroyed James Madison as they should have, and they defeated Temple with a little help from Victor Oladipo's late three-point dagger. That brings the Hoosiers to Washington D.C. to face off against Jim Boeheim's Syracuse squad.

The Orange were a four seed but played like a one. The Hoosiers on the other hand, well they sure as heck didn't play like a team that should be hoisting a trophy in the first week of April. There is one word for the way Indiana played, and I apologize to the IU fans, but that word is "embarassing". Syracuse did whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, to whoever they wanted. Michael Carter-Williams was virtually unstoppable and dropped a game-high 24 points and helped the Orange shoot their way to a 46% field goal percentage.

On top of that, Syracuse just played harder. The rebounding total was darn near even but Syracuse's defense was suffocating as usual. Indiana on the other hand looked as if they had never seen a 2-3 zone. Rather than accept the challenge, Indiana looked scared. The Hoosiers received virtually no help from what has been one of the top backcourts in the nation this year in Jordan Hulls and Yogi Ferrell. The duo turned the ball over a combined six times and combined for zero points. With only four assists between the two, it's easy to see that Indiana's offense just couldn't get going.



Zeller's potential has yet to be reached

Speaking of Indiana's offense, sophomore Cody Zeller ended the game with 10 points and 10 rebounds, yet shot 3-11 from the field. This is perhaps the most puzzling player in the nation. Zeller had high expectations and yet he tended to fade into the background and have quiet performances. He never asserts himself, and gets bullied in the lane way more than a 7-footer should. Syracuse's big men were in foul trouble throughout the game and yet Zeller never demanded the ball or took it upon himself to get to the line and take over the game. Should he leave for the NBA, which I highly doubt he will, he's in for a rude awakening. Zeller needs to get stronger and get a little nasty in him. The shy, loveable underclassman act is over. He's going to be a junior next year and needs to stop playing soft. He clearly has the talent and fundamentals to be a dominant big man at the college level, but he has to let his presence be known.

Alot can be said in a positive way for Indiana's season despite the negative and disappointing end that it came to. Tom Crean has done a miraculous job of rebuilding this program and things will only go up from here in Bloomington. But the end to the Hoosiers' season was a letdown even to those who aren't Indiana fans. It wasn't title or bust for IU, but to end the season at the same spot as last year is nothing short of disappointing. The future is bright, however, with yet another top recruiting class coming in and only time will tell if Indiana will end up in Dallas for next year's Final Four.

Streak Ends Along With LeBron's Patience

The moment that most of the nation had been waiting for finally happened in the United Center on the west side of Chicago last night. The injured and struggling Chicago Bulls put out one of the best efforts of any team this season to take down the larger-than-life Miami Heat. Just seven games within breaking the historic record of 33 wins in a row, the Heat had battled every size of deficit and also quite a few injuries on their way to what is now the second longest streak of all time at 27 wins in a row.



The Bulls hung on for dear life to win Wednesday night

The game itself was something to behold and in the midst of March Madness it was something that all basketball fans could appreciate. It was well-coached, physical, hard-nosed basketball which some if not most people would say is impossible to find in the NBA. Yet here were two Conference rivals battling it out from start to finish.

The game presented a physicality that to some people, especially LeBron James, seemed a little over-the-top to the point where LeBron even questioned if some of the fouls were "basketball plays". Yes Kirk Hinrich brought LeBron down to the floor with him on what would have been an easy bucket or a posterization, and yes there was hard contact in the lane late in the fourth quarter when it appeared as though Taj Gibson wrapped LeBron around the shoulder and brought him down to the ground. But what LeBron needed to realize in that post-game interview is that while those fouls were hard and physical fouls, they were fouls that the Bulls knew they had to commit if they were to stop LeBron and his streaking Heat.

Whether you are a LeBron fan or not, which I myself have gotten over "The Decision" and have decided to admire the player who is undoubtedly the best athlete in the world, you must admit that the player LeBron has become is virtually unguardable. Remember when the best defense on LeBron was to make him shoot? That doesn't fly anymore. The 28 year old superstar is shooting 56% from the field and nearly 40% from three. Compare those to his stats in his rookie year and his field goal percentage has risen 15% and his three point percentage is up 11%. Yeah, letting him shoot isn't a good plan anymore. Face it, you can't stop LeBron.

Which brings us back to the hard fouls. What do you expect Kirk Hinrich to do on that play? LeBron has about 60 pounds on him and it was a one-on-one. Was the play dirty? Yeah probably. You can't just bring a guy to the ground like that and LeBron has a right to be upset. But the point is that LeBron will have to come to accept the fact that teams only have one choice now and that is to be physical. With the way the Bulls' defense was playing, it eventually got into LeBron's head and caused him to commit what basically ended up being the dagger for the Heat and that was LeBron's lowering of his shoulder into the chest of Carlos Boozer. The play was called a flagrant one foul and the Bulls capitalized and never looked back.

LeBron took his fair share of hard fouls in the loss

LeBron's statements about the hard fouls, and he's not wrong might I add, also brought to my attention the way the NBA has changed. I was born in 1994, so my knowledge of the NBA in the 80's and 90's has been limited to Hardwood Classics on NBATV and countless YouTube videos. What I have picked up from those games and videos is that players back in the day only cared about winning. Nobody was out there joking around or trying to make friends or trying to make sure everyone was happy. It was win or die trying and it didn't matter how teams went about it.

I hate to once again bring Michael Jordan into a discussion about LeBron James, but the example is perfect. The Bad Boys of Detroit were hell on earth for the late 80's and early 90's Chicago Bulls. If LeBron really wants to see a dirty foul then ask Scottie Pippen about having to be guarded by Dennis Rodman. The game and players were just flatout tougher back then and I fail to think that players back then would've been so vocal about what was and was not a hard foul.

For LeBron and Dwyane Wade and the rest of the Miami Heat: there is no reason they should not win another ring. They play at such a high level and present an unbelievably talented, veteran bench. When your team comes together like the Heat's team has through free-agency signings and "teaming up", there will always be a target on your back. Throw in the fact that you've won 27 games in a row and are on the verge of making history and well, you might as well expect a brawl from any of the teams you face. Is LeBron wrong or being a baby about the fouls? No, I don't think so. But it goes to show the change in nature from the players back in the day to the players nowadays.

Rose Debate Needs to Be Put to Rest

Rose has been practicing full speed, but still no return

We've all heard about it, analyzed it, dreamed about it and grown tired of it. The Return of Derrick Rose has been hyped up since the Chicago Bulls' star point guard crumpled to the United Center floor last April in Game 1 of the playoffs. With the season nearing its end, we're now starting to wonder if DRose will ever make The Return or if it truly was all hype. Rose has been practicing with the Bulls and everyone who has seen him claims that he is ready to go, but he has yet to hit the game floor. Every day is a new day of speculation and its time to end that. It has affected the entire Bulls organization in a negative way and its time that they make a statement with a definite date.

Rose suffered a torn ACL, which many have always thought meant a year on the shelf. However, along came Adrian Peterson and the idea has changed. Obviously no man's body is the same, but Peterson returned to the field just nine months after the same injury and not only played, but dominated. He won the MVP award for the Vikings and nearly broke the single-season rushing record. With that fresh in everyone's' mind, Rose's patience is almost frustrating. But why?

You can view DRose's situation in two ways: smart or scared. He is either smart for waiting and being patient; making sure his knee and body are back to full strength so that he doesn't ruin the rest of his career, or he is scared. Scared that he won't be the dominant point guard that he was before the injury and scared that he might get hurt again. Whichever way you look at it, its okay. Rose is smart for waiting and its 100 percent okay if he is a bit scared. For a player as explosive as he is, it has to be frightening to go out and continue that style of play after tearing your knee up.

Blake Griffin sat out his rookie season due to knee surgery and nobody made a big deal about it. In fact, before Peterson made his triumphant return to the field, the general move with knee injuries was for the athlete to take his time and not rush anything in the recovery process. Yet, there was Peterson on the brink of history and suddenly we were wondering how soon DRose would make the much anticipated Return.

We're still wondering.

I have no problem with Rose showing patience and not rushing anything, but I do have a problem with the constant media circus that revolves around his status. In the day and age of Twitter, Facebook and instant news, the Bulls have made life difficult for themselves by not giving a definite date of when Rose will return. I fully understand that no one knows when he will be healthy enough to play and even he said that God only knows. However, that leaves it open for every day speculation and that wears on the rest of the team. In Chicago, this season hasn't been about the Bulls, but rather Derrick Rose's injury. That's not fair to the rest of the team and it has to have taken a toll.

The locker room interviews for Bulls players this season consist of a few questions about the upcoming game and then a flurry of questions about Rose's status. That gets old. It also gets old for the fans who have to speculate if tonight will be the night. It has become a source of frustration and it could easily be fixed if the Bulls came out and said Rose wasn't coming back until some specific date. Say he's not coming back at all this season and at least you end the circus. No one will be mad if he ends up coming back this season. The point is, some date needs to be given so that the speculation will stop and the Bulls can focus on basketball.

For Rose, he needs to continue to work and try and get on the court as soon as possible. I don't think taking an entire year off is something he wants to do, but at the same time I do realize this team isn't built for a championship run. That said, the Bulls are going to make the playoffs and anything can happen once the postseason starts. Obviously I want to see Rose out there, but he has a long career ahead of him and it may be best if he waits until next season.

Whatever the decision is, let's make one sooner rather than later. The Return was nice and hyped, but now it looks like one big joke. It's time for the speculation to end and it's time for Chicago to focus on Bulls basketball as the postseason begins...with or without their MVP.

Reaction to March Madness: Days 3 & 4

Aaron Craft's three sent the Buckeyes to the Sweet 16

The Sweet 16 is set and there are plenty of surprises after the first weekend. This tournament has lived to the hype so far. We expected it to be an unpredictable couple of weeks and it certainly has. Florida Gulf Coast, LaSalle and Wichita State are all in the Sweet 16 while Gonzaga, Georgetown and Wisconsin are already home. Bet not many people thought that would happen and it also is a clear illustrator that the Sweet 16 may not play out the way we think it will (I'm looking at you Florida). With the first weekend in the books, here's five observations from the third round.

1. Michigan has looked like one of the more impressive teams
When the brackets were announced and Michigan had VCU looming in the third round, it was an uncertainty whether or not the Wolverines would see the second weekend of March Madness. Shaka Smart's squad frustrates opponents with their Havoc defense and it seemed that if they could corral Trey Burke then they would be the victor. Not so. The Rams did force seven Burke turnovers, but it hardly mattered since VCU shot just 39 percent for the game. On top of that, Mitch McGary played the game of his life, scoring 21 points on 10-11 shooting and grabbing 14 rebounds. Michigan has dominated both of their games so far and will now get a shot at top-seeded Kansas. If McGary continues his great play then count on the Wolverines advancing.

2. Florida Gulf Coast is unlike any Cinderella we have ever seen
The Eagles run has captivated the nation and rightfully so. After all, just three years ago FGCU wasn't even a Division I program. Now, they are heading to the Sweet 16 to take on Florida after dominating Georgetown and San Diego State. We have seen magnificent Cinderella runs from Butler, George Mason and VCU, but we have not seen a run like FGCU's. The Eagles aren't just winning games -- they are dominating them. They didn't just beat Georgetown. They completely took the Hoyas out of their game and then won over the crowd by chucking alley-oops at crucial moments of the game. Same story in the San Diego State game. The Aztecs were up by one at the half, but the second half belonged to FGCU. The Eagles are making it look easy and, even better, they are making it look fun.

Sherwood Brown and FGCU made history as the first 15 seed to go to the Sweet 16

3. Safe to say the Big Ten is America's best conference
The Big Ten has been heralded as the best conference in college basketball and the debate should be settled. Of the seven Big Ten teams that qualified for the tournament four are in the Sweet 16. Illinois and Minnesota also won a game and the Illini were this close to upsetting Miami. Aaron Craft nailed a buzzer-beater to send Ohio State to the next round and Victor Oladipo's big three ensured that Indiana would not fall victim to an upset. Michigan and Michigan State have looked very impressive and, just an FYI, the four Big Ten teams are in four separate brackets. It's never happened where four teams from the same conference make the Final Four, but it's a definite possibility this season.

4. Does the committee realized how badly they messed up Oregon's seed?
Oregon won the Pac-12 tournament this season and spent plenty of time in the Top 25. They are 28-8 and yet they somehow wound up as a 12 seed. Feel bad for Oklahoma State and St. Louis because they had the misfortune of having to face the Ducks that early in the tournament. Oregon has won their two games by an average of 15 points per game and will now face a major test against Louisville. One thing is clear though: this isn't your everyday 12 seed.

5. Butler-Marquette is a budding rivalry
Butler and Marquette gave us two great games this season and next year they will be in the same conference. That's fantastic news for basketball fans after watching two thrillers this year. Butler beat Marquette on a buzzer-beater in Maui at the beginning of the season, but Marquette got their revenge in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Once again, Butler had a shot at the buzzer, but this time it would not go and the Golden Eagles have moved on to the Sweet 16. Rivalries have to start somewhere and this is one that looks to be strong for years to come. Both teams play a tough style and are very evenly matched. Talk about good television.

It's been a great tournament so far and the rest of it promises to be just as good. The Sweet 16 gets started on Thursday and continues through Friday. The Elite 8 will be Saturday and Sunday. Below is the schedule for the Sweet 16 games.

Thursday, March 28
7:15 PM EST -- (3) Marquette vs. (2) Miami
7:47 PM EST -- (6) Arizona vs. (2) Ohio State
9:45 PM EST -- (4) Syracuse vs. (1) Indiana
10:17 PM EST -- (13) LaSalle vs. (9) Wichita State

Friday, March 29
7:15 PM EST -- (12) Oregon vs. (1) Louisville
7:37 PM EST -- (4) Michigan vs. (1) Kansas
9:45 PM EST -- (3) Michigan State vs. (2) Duke
9:57 PM EST -- (15) Florida Gulf Coast vs. (3) Florida

Reaction to March Madness: Day 2

FGCU took G'Town completely out of their game and moved on

Day two of March Madness provided plenty of down-to-the-wire finishes, but with those finishes came poor decision making and even worse free throw shooting. Cincinnati and Kansas State are going home early and it's because they didn't execute. Georgetown is heading home because they ran into an ultra-athletic Florida Gulf Coast team that took it to them from the start. Iowa State was very impressive and the Bill Self-Roy Williams match up is on. Here are six observations from Day 2.

1. Free throw shooting is arguably the most important team skill
Cincinnati and Creighton was a close game throughout and that could only mean one thing: free throw shooting would be key. The Bearcats found themselves behind late in the game and had multiple chances at the line to bring the game closer and they failed to do so. With 53 seconds remaining a flagrant one foul was called on Doug McDermott, but Shaquille Thomas missed two crucial free throws that proved costly down the stretch. If you need one stat to see why Creighton won the game then look at free throw shooting. The Blue Jays were 22-25 and Cincinnati was just 4-9.

2. The rules about throwing elbows have to change
Staying in the same game, the play that McDermott received the flagrant one foul for was terrible. I completely understand the NCAA doesn't want players throwing elbows, but it's getting ridiculous. Cincinnati was pressing and they brought an excellent trap at McDermott with 53 seconds left. McDermott didn't really throw an elbow, but he attempted to clear space so that he could advance the ball either by a pass or dribble. However, the referees got him for an elbow and it nearly changed the course of the game. This is a rule that the NCAA will have to look at because I understand it's about player safety, but the rule is far too strict. The ball handler must be able to clear space and that requires him to be strong with the ball and natural strong elbow swings.

3. Wisconsin puts on a clinic for bad offense
Bo Ryan and the Badgers win and no one can dispute the fact that he has built a great program. However, Wisconsin is not built for March because of their inability to score the ball. The suffocating defense is great, but it only goes so far when the team fails to score the ball. Watching Wisconsin try and come back in that game hurt. Like it was mind-numbingly bad how poor they played at the offensive end. They shot 15-59 from the field, 7-30 from three and only Sam Dekker scored in double figures. Wisconsin deserves respect for sticking to their system, but they must find some players who can score the ball or they will continue to exit the tournament earlier than they want.

4. Illinois vs. Colorado was about who wanted to lose more
Have you ever seen so many droughts in one game? It was unbelievable to watch both teams struggle to score a basket. Illinois won the game even though they played bad. It just so happened that Colorado played even worse. Illinois lived by the three, died by the three and then was resurrected by the three late in the game. That's not exactly the recipe for success, but in the tournament it doesn't matter how you win as long as you get the win. Neither team deserved to win the game and the Illini have their work cut out for them against Miami. Another shooting performance like this one will send them home to Champaign.

Howland's days in LA may be over

5. Georgetown is not a safe bet when playing a double digit seed
The Hoyas lost to Florida Gulf Coast who, just three years ago, couldn't even qualify for the tournament. The Eagles didn't just beat Georgetown -- they completely dominated them for much of the game. In the second half the lead was double digits and the Hoyas were never able to make a comeback until the end. It's the fifth year in a row that Georgetown has lost to a double digit seed and it's a disturbing trend for John Thompson III. Florida Gulf Coast was unbelievably athletic and didn't back down from the spotlight. Instead, they took right to G'Town and the Hoyas were the ones who seemed like they weren't ready.

6. It may be time for Ben Howland and UCLA to part ways
Ben Howland had a magnificent run at UCLA for awhile, but times have changed drastically. After two poor seasons the Bruins had something of a revival, but they still underachieved. Howland brought in a dynamite recruiting class and the freshmen did live up to the hype but UCLA was bounced in the second round and ultimately it's a disappointing end to the season. It may be time for Howland to go in a different direction and UCLA may want to start fresh. It seems the success is in the rear view mirror and all is not well in Westwood.

The second round is in the books and it did not disappoint. Harvard and Florida Gulf Coast are the tournament darlings and the West Region is all sorts of messed up. The one seeds are alive, but they all face tough challenges in the third round. Also don't bank on the two seeds all advancing. Duke and Ohio State have very difficult games and the unpredictability is the beauty of this tournament. Also, get yourself prepared for the VCU-Michigan showdown in the morning as it should be something special.

Reaction to March Madness: Day 1

Tommy Amaker and the Crimson are moving on

Over the course of March Madness we will post a nightly blog on the day's events and what a day we had for the opener. It started out a little slow, but looking back on it there were some thrillers and none greater than Harvard taking down New Mexico. That's the Madness we know and love and tomorrow promises some more. I watched every game today and here are eight observations I took away from day one.

1. There are no "experts" when it comes to March Madness
We already knew this from years of experience, but the New Mexico loss only enhanced that thought. For a whole week we have been listening to how this was the Lobos year, but Harvard would have none of it. I actually picked New Mexico to advance to the Final Four, but Steve Alford's squad is heading home early. The Crimson played solid the whole way and hit free throws down the stretch. They have their first NCAA Tournament win under their belt and provided the most shocking upset of the day and maybe the tournament.

2. A 16th seed just about did it...but not this time
People want to criticize Gonzaga and say that this proves they didn't deserve the one seed, but I don't buy into these games proving a team or conference to be overrated. This is March Madness for a reason and crazy things happen. Southern taking the Zags down to the wire would fall under the crazy category. A look at the Southern roster made it clear that they would present a tough match up for Gonzaga. They were a long, athletic squad which is the polar opposite of the Zags. Still, Gonzaga won the game and that's all that matters. Now that sets up what will be a physical game against Wichita State on Saturday.

3. Davidson had it in the bag until the last six seconds rolled around
This was Davidson's game to win. They played well through out, but Vander Blue's layup with one second left sealed the deal for Marquette. Davidson led by as many as 10 and Marquette's largest lead was just three. The Golden Eagles shot the ball poorly and Davidson fell apart at the end. De'Mon Brooks just needed to accept the foul at the end of the game, but instead he threw the ball away and gave Marquette a chance -- a chance that they didn't blow. Rather than another Cinderella run from Davidson, Marquette survives.

4. Bad day for potential first round picks from mid-majors
Nate Wolters and Mike Muscala let me down in a bad way. Wolters, who averages over 20 points per game, mustered only 10 points which was a season low. Wolters struggled to do anything against Tim Hardaway and Glenn Robinson and his low output spelled doom for the Jackrabbits. Muscala, one of the top big men in the country, had performed well against top competition, but he was bad against Butler. He scored just nine points, only the second time he has scored under ten points this season. He was also an abysmal 4-17 from the field and didn't look like a player who could possibly be in the NBA soon.

Trey Burke and the Wolverines kept Wolters in check and UM handled SDSU

5. The Pac-12 deserves respect
The Pac-12 wasn't a real respected conference this season by fans, but they finished today with a 3-0 record. Arizona handled Belmont, Oregon took it to Oklahoma State and Cal beat a talented UNLV team. Tomorrow UCLA and Colorado will take on Big Ten opponents and could possibly complete a sweep for the conference. Oregon and Arizona hardly had trouble in their wins and Cal persevered against UNLV. So while they may not have been getting the respect they deserved, it's time to take notice.

6. VCU vs. Michigan is going to be incredibly fun
Did you get to see any of the VCU game? Sure, Akron was missing some of their players, most notably their point guard, but the Rams were unbelievable. Trey Burke better be ready for Shaka Smart's "havoc" because it is going to wear him out. However, how effective will VCU's pressure be against the nation's best point guard? That will be the main storyline heading into Saturday's match up and buckle your seat belts because this one will be wild!

7. Louisville and Syracuse didn't mess around
North Carolina A&T and Montana aren't exactly stiff competition, but as we saw with other top teams today, sometimes they don't bring their A game. Not the case with Louisville and Syracuse. Both teams came out and dominated from the start and put any thoughts of an upset to bed pretty early. Syracuse didn't even allow Montana 35 points and Louisville shot 57 percent. Both teams will have a tougher test moving forward as Louisville will face Colorado State and Syracuse must face Cal.

8. St. Louis is not a team to be messed with
The Billikens are on a mission this season as they play to honor their late coach Rick Majerus. Majerus would have been proud of St. Louis after they dominated New Mexico State on Friday. The Aggies shot just 28 percent and committed 16 turnovers. St. Louis plays tough and will be a difficult match up for Louisville should they meet in the Sweet 16. This is definitely not a team you should be sleeping on.

March Madness is officially here and a big thank you to Harvard for reminding us all that anything can happen. Stay tuned tomorrow as more big-name teams will take to the court against other upset-minded squads and look for a new post tomorrow night after the conclusion of the games.

Blackhawks Streaked At Right Time

Kane and Toews have dominated the lockout-shortened season...

Remember that incredible Chicago Blackhawks streak that kicked off the NHL season? Odds are it's in the back of your mind or you completely forgot about it and that's understandable. After all, streaking seems to be the thing to do in the sports world this year. The Hawks went 24 games without a regulation loss to begin this shortened NHL season before falling to Colorado on March 8th. Now, that streak is in the rear view mirror and the Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks are the fresh streaks that highlight the late night sports shows. The Blackhawks may not be the hot topic, but that may not be a bad thing when it's all said and done.

Streaks are an odd thing in sports. There are streaks every day for every team, but they are never noticed until they hit double digits. Hockey is played every day all across North America, but is hardly noticed by the greater American public. That's the harsh truth. However, the Blackhawks streak instantly put the sport near the top of the Sportscenter lineup and people started to notice the game. That's good news -- until the streak became larger than life. Look at any historical streak and that's how it goes. It becomes so big that it dominates every game. It's like a dark shadow looming over the ice and it consumes every discussion and topic around the team. It adds extra attention to a team that may not always be good for them.

What starts as fun can become an annoying distraction. The Blackhawks made their history and can now focus solely on the season with minimal distractions. The Ducks (12-game streak without regulation loss) and the Penguins (10-game win streak) are playing their best hockey dangerously close to the playoffs and may suffer from streak hangover a little too close to the playoffs for fans' liking. It's true that hot teams usually perform well in the playoffs, but it's much different when a team is consumed by a distracting streak.

...and it may just mean another victory parade with the Cup.

Chicago streaked at the right time and it will pay off in the end. They are still first in the league and are second in the league in both goals per game and goals against average. The Hawks have just three games remaining against top four seed in the West and 50 percent of their remaining schedule is against Western Conference top eight seeds as of now. That's not exactly a walk in the park and the reality is that Chicago will come back down to earth after such a hot start.

Perhaps a lull in their play could be expected, but then that begs the question: when will they pick it back up? Check the schedule -- right before the playoffs. That's good news if your a Hawks fan. The other good news is that they are playing hockey that almost ensures they will be a one or two seed. Since the NHL expanded in the 1967-68 season 33 of the 43 Stanley Cup champions have been a top two seed. The Hawks themselves were a two seed back in 2010 when they hoisted the Cup.

I don't want to pretend that I'm a hockey expert because that couldn't be further from the truth. However, I think streaks and the surrounding distractions are similar no matter what the sport is. Chicago will enter the playoffs far removed from their historic streak and it will almost be so far in the rear view mirror that it won't garner unattainable expectations. That allows the club to go out and just play the game, and if you haven't noticed, they are pretty darn good at the game. So, while the streak may be over, consider the Blackhawks still the most feared team in the NHL.

Top 5 Dunks of the 2012-13 NBA Season

There is perhaps no play in the game of basketball that can get a reaction out of the crowd like a dunk. The sheer power and force alone is incredible, but then factor in the did-he-just-do-that?! element of them and that's enough to bring anybody out of their seat. What makes a dunk so special? Jason Terry is half the size of LeBron James. Brandon Knight is half the size of DeAndre Jordan. They aren't supposed to stop those two from putting down the hammer and they didn't. Still, fans went bananas and rightfully so. It's an amazing sight to see.

There have been some jaw-dropping dunks of late and it got us thinking: we need to rank these throwdowns. So that's exactly what we did. Here are the top five dunks of this season so far and there are some great ones. Obviously, only five made the list so there are some certain snubs. That's where you come in. Reply with your comment and a link to the video of the dunk you think was top-five-worthy. Until then though, check out who made our list...

5. Kobe Bryant dunks on Brook Lopez and Gerald Wallace
You have to show love to Kobe Bryant this season. The Lakers obviously aren't having the kind of season that everyone thought they would, but we can always count on Kobe. He has done everything he can to try and get his team to the playoffs and that certainly looks like the direction they are headed in. Check out this play by Bryant in a game against the Brooklyn Nets. For an "old man" he showed he can still get up and he dunked on not one, but two guys. This is vintage Kobe Bryant and it's also one of the best posters of the season.

4. Blake Griffin windmills off Jamal Crawford through-the-legs alley-oop
Lob City never ceases to amaze the masses and this may be their most creative act yet. Jamal Crawford, who has never been known for his passing, is on the fast break and has a clear path to the hoop. However, rather than just doing the simple layup or dunk, Crawford gets a little fancy and goes through his legs before leaving it for Blake Griffin. Griffin has been on the receiving end of several alley-oops and he knows how to finish a dunk. On this particular play he puts the exclamation point down with an impressive windmill.

3. Harrison Barnes dunks on Nikola Pekovic
This is a dunk that has been forgotten about a little bit, but make no mistake, this is nasty. Harrison Barnes comes down the middle of the lane and gets a nice feed before dunking all over Nikola Pekovic. What makes the play even better is the reaction from the Warriors bench following the jam. Barnes goes up and Pekovic stops his momentum, but it doesn't matter...Barnes still puts Pekovic on a poster and I'm not so sure this dunk isn't worthy of the two spot for that reason. This is no Jason Terry or Brandon Knight. This is one of the strongest guys in the league and Barnes still managed to throw it down on him. Impressive.

2. LeBron James dunks on Jason Terry
Jason Terry got what was coming to him. He mouthed off before the game and then happened to be the one guy back while three Miami Heat players spun him around like a top before LeBron James destroyed him. Terry doesn't stand a chance on this play, but I will give him credit for trying to stop the play. However, when he went up in the air you just knew this wasn't going to end up well for him. Sometimes people complain that LeBron doesn't have enough "signature" plays, but to those people I say here you go. This one will be shown for a long time.

1. DeAndre Jordan catches alley-oop from Chris Paul and dunks on Brandon Knight
We already wrote about this dunk once and there is no doubt that this is the number one dunk of the season and it will take something unbelievable to top it. Near the end of the first half Jordan streaked down the middle of the lane and caught an alley-oop from Chris Paul. What happened after that was an annihilation of Brandon Knight. For whatever reason, Knight jumped and attempted to block the pass, but Jordan would have none of it. With thunderous power Jordan slammed the ball home, sending Knight crashing to the floor and sending the arena into a frenzy. It blew up social media sites and it's going to be shown for quite some time.

Big Ten Hopes to See Championship Drought End

Payne and Thomas will be key to their teams' success in March

There's hardly a question that the Big Ten has been the most dominant conference from top-to-bottom this season and the Selection Committee agreed, giving the conference seven teams in the tournament. The conference has four teams that pose as serious title threats in Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State while Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota have the potential to win a game or two. However, for a conference that is so highly regarded this season, anything less than a championship could be viewed as a failure. The Big Ten hasn't experienced the crystal ball, confetti and championship podium since Michigan State's title in 2000 behind Mateen Cleaves and the Flintstones. That's a drought that isn't something to brag about.

Since 2001 the ACC has won five championships while the Big East and SEC have each won three. The Big 12 has one title courtesy of Kansas in 2008, but the Big Ten is empty handed. Four times the conference has had the runner-up and they have sent eight teams to the Final Four since 2001, so it's not as though the conference has been unsuccessful. Still, championships are the ultimate barometer and the Big Ten is looking up at everyone else. The conference hasn't been this good in a long time, but, then again, neither has the tournament as a whole. There is no clear favorite and that may work in the Big Ten's favor. If they are going to get back on top then this is the year to do it. Here's a team-by-team look at the seven Big Ten tourney participants.

Indiana Hoosiers (27-6, 14-4 Big Ten)
Indiana can be the best team in the nation on any given night, but they have looked suspect of late. They lost at home to Ohio State and have been defeated by Wisconsin twice this season. However, the Hoosiers are 7-2 against ranked opponents and defeated every Big Ten team except the Badgers. IU scores the ball at ease and they shoot nearly 50 percent from the field. They have two of the best players in the nation in Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo and, barring some major upset, should be in Atlanta. Prediction: National Runner-Up

Ohio State Buckeyes (26-7, 13-5 Big Ten)
The Buckeyes are interesting. It seems as if DeShaun Thomas (19.6 points per game) is their only weapon, but somehow they keep winning ball games. Thomas is the only player who averages double figures and as a team Ohio State doesn't do anything particularly well. However, they guard hard and have arguably the best perimeter defender in the country in Aaron Craft. The other thing to look for in March is who's hot and the Buckeyes have won eight in a row to finish the season. OSU is 5-7 versus ranked opponents. Prediction: Sweet 16

Michigan State Spartans (25-8, 13-5 Big Ten)
Tom Izzo knows a thing or six about the final Four and his Spartan squad may be there again. Michigan State has a nice mix of outside shooting and inside force and that makes them a hard team to guard. MSU scores just 68 points per game, but they hold their opponents to a mere 59 per game. Keith Appling is reliable point guard and a tandem of freshmen, Gary Harris and Denzel Valentine, have contributed valuable minutes. Adrien Payne and Derrick Nix rebound the ball well and complement each other in the post. Prediction: Elite 8

Hardaway and Watford were part of two thrillers between IU and UM

Michigan Wolverines (26-7, 12-6 Big Ten)
Since the calendar flipped to Febrary, Michigan is just 6-6 and finished the season losing two of their last three. Behind Big Ten Player of the year Trey Burke and athletic wing Tim Hardaway, the Wolverines have a dynamic duo that could carry them to Atlanta. Also, look for Mitch McGary to be a key part to Michigan's tournament run. What could hold them back though is rebounding (156th in the nation) and decision making. Burke, for as good as he is, is prone to lapses in judgment and poor shot selection at times. Prediction: Elite 8

Wisconsin Badgers (23-11, 12-6 Big Ten)
Bo Ryan and the Badgers get the job done and it's usually not in pretty fashion. Wisconsin finished second in the Big Ten tournament and they have compiled a 23-11 record on the same principles that we have become accustomed to seeing from Wisconsin: defense, rebounding and toughness. Count on the Badgers to slow down the pace and make it difficult for opponents to score, but don't count on them to go too far because of their inability to score. Ohio State held them scoreless for the last seven minutes in the Big Ten title game and Wisconsin doesn't really have someone to take over a game. Prediction: Two and Out

Illinois Fighting Illini (22-12, 8-10 Big Ten)
Which Illinois team will show up in the tournament? The Illini have been up-and-down this season and that's the reality for a team that relies on jump shooting. Some nights the Illini can shoot a team out of the gym, but other nights they struggle to throw the ball in the ocean. The other dowside to Illinois is the fact that they have a nonexistent interior game. They rely solely on the perimeter players and that doesn't always work. That said, if Illinois catches fire then watch out because who knows how far they can go. Prediction: Two and Out

Minnesota Golden Gophers (20-12, 8-10 Big Ten)
Tubby Smith's Gophers are similar to several other Big Ten teams. They can beat anybody, but they win ugly and they lose ugly. Minnesota sometimes struggles to score the ball, but they can guard the ball well and they rebound. Like other big Ten teams, Minnesota can win if they make teams play to their pace and they find consistent offense from someone like Andre Hollins. However, they won't go very far if Trevor Mbakwe disappears and the offense sputters for long stretches. Prediction: Two and Out

This could be the Big Ten's year, but it's all about consistent play. They have beaten up on each other all year long and that has earned the conference a reputation. Now it's time to finish it off with a title. Michigan State and Michigan will play on Thursday. Indiana, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota will all play on Friday.

Bracket Breakdown: West

Steve Alford and Tony Snell of New Mexico

Of the four brackets the West is the probably the weakest, but that can also mean it is the most wide open. Gonzaga is the number one seed and deservedly so. They didn't play a real tough schedule, but anybody who wins like they did deserves the top spot. Ohio State played their way into a two seed after winning the Big Ten tournament and fellow Big Ten member Wisconsin sits at the five seed. New Mexico has played good ball and looks like they could make a run and Belmont and Wichita State appear to be upset picks. Also don't forget about Bruce Weber's K-State Wildcats. Here's a more in-depth look...

West Region winner: New Mexico Lobos
In a bracket that seems to have no favorite, take a good look at Steve Alford's New Mexico squad. The Lobos are 29-5 and went undefeated against ranked opponents. If you think for a second that the Mountain West was a walk in the park then hold on just a second. The MWC was arguably one of the top three toughest conferences and five teams made the tournament. New Mexico won the regular season and the conference tournament and they will now have a chance to make another tourney run -- this one of bigger proportion. It's not going to be easy as they will probably meet Ohio State in the Sweet 16. The Buckeyes have won 10 in a row and are playing very well right now. In the Elite 8 the Lobos will have to take down either Gonzaga, Kansas State or Wisconsin and that will be another tall task. However, Alford has played with the big boys before and has put together a tremendous season. Now it's time to do it on the national stage.

Lamont Jones of Iona

Upset Pick: Belmont over Arizona
The Bruins should come away the victor in this one. Belmont is 26-6 and won the Ohio Valley Conference behind a high-powered offense. They average 77.2 points per game which is the 15th in the nation and their 49 percent field goal percentage is fourth in the nation. Arizona has looked shaky of late, losing three of their last five. Although the 'Cats are talented, don't count on them making a run in this tournament.

Potentially Intriguing Matchup: Gonzaga vs. New Mexico (Elite 8)
Two mid-majors going head-to-head for the right to advance to the Final Four would be intriguing to watch. The Lobos and Zags have been in the tournament before and they both have seasoned veterans on the sidelines. However, neither team has made it the Final Four. It seems likely that this matchup could happen and if it does, the fans will finally get to see what all the hype is about these two squads.

Player to Watch: Lamont Jones, guard, Iona
Lamont Jones knows about big time competition. He transferred to Iona after two seasons at Arizona and he has torn it up for the Gaels. Jones averages 23.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game and his Gaels will have the tough job of beating Ohio State in the first round. Last season there were two 15 seeds that won a second round game and they both did so behind Superman-type efforts from their star players. Iona needs Jones to bring his A game if they are to upset one of the Big Ten titans.

Bottom Line: There is no clear favorite in this league, but New Mexico, Ohio State and Gonzaga are all playing good basketball. One of those three will emerge.

Bracket Breakdown: East

Cody Zeller of Indiana

Once again, another tough bracket and the East Region could make a case for the most difficult bracket of the four. Indiana is the top seed with ACC regular season and tournament champion Miami down at the two line. Big East powers Marquette and Syracuse are also in the mix and so are NC State and Illinois. Former tournament Cinderellas Butler, Bucknell and Davidson are also in the South. If you want to see an upset this may be the bracket it happens in.

East Region winner: Indiana Hoosiers
It's difficult to pick against Indiana after the season they had. The Hoosiers won at home and on the road, they beat the good teams and the bad teams, they won with perimeter play and post play, they won in a shootout and they won in grind-it-out Big Ten fixtures. IU is arguably the best team in the country and, as far as number one seeds go, they may have received the best draw. That should ease the tension for Hoosier fans since they didn't receive the Midwest Region number one seed which would have allowed them to play in Indianapolis. The route to Atlanta will put them against a couple of teams who have been inconsistent in NC State and Syracuse and the possible Elite 8 matchup against Miami should be fun. Expect the Hoosiers to come out of the East because of their complete play and ability to win in different styles.

Upset Pick: Bucknell to the Sweet 16
Bucknell is going to beat Butler and they may just upset Marquette as well. The Bison are a solid team led by center Mike Muscala and they have gone toe-to-toe with some of the nation's better teams and held their own. In January they should have defeated Missouri in Columbia, but they lost by two when Muscala stepped out of bounds on one of the final plays. A gifted big man is hard to guard and Muscala will test Butler's Andrew Smith. Should the Bison win their second round game they will have to get through Marquette who is always one of the toughest teams in America. It may not seem likely, but every tournament needs a Cinderella and for Bucknell the slipper might fit.

Mike Muscala of Bucknell

Potentially Intriguing Matchup: Indiana vs. Marquette (Elite 8)
Let's say Marquette handles Bucknell in the third round and then knocks off Miami in the Sweet 16. That would set up a meeting with Indiana for the right to advance to the Final Four and it would be the first time Tom Crean faced his former team since leaving the Golden Eagles. Crean took Marquette to the Final Four in 2003 with Dwyane Wade, Travis Diener and company and he is aiming to get the Hoosiers back to prominence now. Anytime a coach faces his former employer it makes for good headlines (see Kansas-UNC third round game in South Region) and this game would live up to the hype.

Player to Watch: Mike Muscala, center, Bucknell

Muscala is a gifted big man that can hurt opponents from anywhere on the floor. His unusual athleticism for his 6’11” frame makes him a difficult matchup and he averaged 19 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game this season. Muscala is also a gifted shot blocker (2.4 per game) and he ranks in the nation’s top 30 in points, rebounds and blocked shots. His rebounding total is the fourth highest in the country. Muscala played three games against teams from Power Six conferences and in all three games he posted a double-double. 

Bottom Line: Indiana is going to march to Atlanta without much trouble and prove they deserved the hype all year long. 

Bracket Breakdown: South

Otto Porter of Georgetown

The South Region is the most top heavy bracket of the four. Kansas headlines the region as the number two overall seed and they are joined by Georgetown, Florida and Michigan. KU won the Big 12, Florida won the SEC and Georgetown won the Big East. Michigan was a couple of bricked free throws from sharing the Big Ten title. Clearly, this is a bracket of winners, but also take a look at the coaches. Of the 16 coaches in the bracket, 10 have won a national title. It's also likely that one of those 10 adds some more hardware to their office. Let's take a look...

South Region winner: Georgetown Hoyas
The Hoyas are going to win the South Region for one reason: Otto Porter. The do-it-all wing player leads Georgetown in almost every major statistical category and he can beat opponents from anywhere on the floor. The road won't be easy for John Thompson's squad though. Most likely Florida will be waiting in the Sweet 16 and then either Kansas or Michigan will present a huge challenge in the Elite 8. Count on the Hoyas because of they are battle tested and they are 6-2 against ranked opponents. Behind Porter, expect G'Town to be back in the Final Four for the first time since 2007.

Upset Pick: Minnesota over UCLA
Minnesota isn't your typical 11 seed. The Golden Gophers defeated five ranked opponents, including #1 Indiana. However, they have lost three in a row and that doesn't always bode well coming into tournament play. Despite that, they should beat UCLA for a couple of reasons. One, they have played far superior competition and two, UCLA is without Jordan Adams. The freshman guard broke his foot during the Pac-12 tournament and the Bruins will struggle without him.

Nate Wolters of South Dakota State

Potentially Intriguing Matchup: Anybody who has to play VCU
Okay so that's kind of cheating, but anybody VCU plays will have a hard time. The Rams qualified for the Final Four in 2011 and their unique style of play makes them a difficult matchup. However, they will have to take down the titans to reach Atlanta, but that is something they have done before. Could they stop Trey Burke in the third round? Could they knock off Kansas just like they did in 2011? Will Florida or Georgetown be too much for them handle? Who knows. We also can't be sure they will even win their first game against Akron, but we can be sure that they will bring 100% effort and be fun to watch.

Player to Watch: Nate Wolters, guard, South Dakota State
Wolters has led South Dakota State to the Big Dance for the second straight year and the do-it-all guard can win a game by himself. The senior averages 22.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game and had a 53 point outburst on February 7th. His scoring average is fourth best in the nation. Wolters comes from the Summit League, but has performed against top competition. He posted 30 points against Alabama at the beginning of the season and then had 28 against New Mexico before Christmas.

Bottom Line: The South is loaded, but Otto Porter and Georgetown have been very consistent and have defeated some of the nation's elite. They will be in Atlanta.