Going to be tough for any game to top what we just saw, but here's the quartet that's going to try:
7. Indiava vs. 10. Gonzaga
8. BYU vs. 9. Xavier
1. North Carolina vs. 16. Eastern Kentucky
3. Pittsburgh vs. 14. Wright State
9:54- All-time series: Eastern Kentucky 1, North Carolina 0...something to think about.
10:02- Everytime I watch Gonzaga and hear the name David Pendergraft I immediately think of Teddy Pendergrass. Life is a Circle people.
10:09- BYU/Xavier could be a two-point game for forty minutes and I still wouldn't care. These two teams are exactly the same and whichever wins this game is going to be pounded by Ohio State in exactly the same fashion. Best of luck Musketeers and Cougars, I won't be watching.
10:11- Shake it off Eastern, you had a great regular season, you won the OVC, and a 75-point loss in the NCAA Tournament can't take that away.
10:19- I just said they're PITTchin' a shutout and now Wright State has scored on consecutive possessions. Another example of how nothing good can come from puns.
Burnt Orange Nation Update: "Roderick Wilmont with four three pointers for 12 total points to pace Indiana early. Hoosiers lead 20-17 in what looks like a race to 60."
10:28- I love Derek Raivio, mainly because his size gave me hope that I could have played major Division I college basketball if I had any talent or work ethic. He's also really good and watching him create is a pleasure.
Conquest Chronicles Update: "I'm seeing two things - 1) that IU looks like it wants to run and 2) IU is trying to push the zags out on defense. Not sure if I'm right but it looks that way."
Burnt Orange Nation Update: "Indiana leads by five at the half, 34-29. Neither team looks impressive on offense, but it was unrealistic to expect a high octane game from a contest involving Kelvin Sampson, anyway."
10:38- After being down 13-0, Dashaun Wood has led Wright State all the way back into a 22-22 tie with Pitt. How pissed do you think they are that they won their league regular season and tournament title and beat Butler twice, but the Bulldogs are still seeded nine lines higher than them?
Wood is a hell of a player who might be in the process of getting some much deserved recognition.
Rakes of Mallow Update: "If anyone thinks Aaron Gray is going to make a viable center in the new NBA they're crazy. If Wright State doesn't take advantage of his sloth-like speed, VCU's going to press Pitt into oblivion (or so I'd like to think)."
10:53- I want to punch mini Ainge in the face. BYU surprisingly having little problem scoring on Xavier.
10:56- I'll be damned, Colonels somehow cut it to 12 at the break. Get up Jeff Neubauer.
10:59- Ronald Ramon getting hot from the outside and all of the Sudden Pitt's up 13 at halftime. Where have these Panthers been the last two weeks?
11:02- Roderick Wilmont continuing his tremendous March by going for an unconscious 19 points including five treys. IU up eight with 15:46 to go.
11:05- Xavier has the lead down to two and Gus Johnson has a woodie.
11:11- Musketeers on a 20-6 run and have the lead up to 60-55. Not that anyone cares or anything.
11:16- Holy shit, 30-8 EKU run. 48-42 North Carolina early in the second.
Rakes of Mallow Update: "Eastern Kentucky's gone on a ridiculous run to cut the lead to 6. I can't imagine they hold onto this, but it's worth checking into. If the Colonels keep it a half-court game, they've got a prayer."
11:20- I've got Colonel fever, you've got Colonel fever, we've got Colonel fever. 48-44.
11:25- My Colonel fever has been quelled.
11:33- 73-73 BYU/Xavier with a minute and a half to play. Stay tuned folks.
11:34- 77-75 Xavier. Mormons ball with 30 seconds to play. Blow it mini Ainge.
11:37- If you have the chance to watch the BYU/Xavier game, please do so because this is classic Gus Johnson. He almost busted a gasket when BYU had two shots at a tie. Xavier by four with 11 seconds left.
11:39- Mini Ainge kind of blows it and Xavier wins 79-77 and will play in-state rival Ohio State on Saturday.
11:40- Carolina by 15, Hoosiers by 13, Pitt by 21...feel free to hit the hay if you've got stuff to do in the morning.
11:46- Zags cut it to eight with 2:15 to go. I've seen the same five commercials 17 times.
11:48- Is Katie Couric really getting her ass beaten so badly that CBS feels the need to constantly promote the evening news during the tournament? You brought this on yourselves guys, Murrow is rolling over and over in his grave.
11:49- 70-57, Hoosiers pay the Zags back for last season.
11:56- I'm officially reading Louisvile stuff and paying no attention to the television.
12:07- The final horn sounds in the Wright State/Pitt massacre and with it comes the culmination of day one.
12:07- Thanks to all who participated, read, or stumbled here by mistake, this was a blast. Here's to more upsets and close games on day two.
Peace.