I'm Lovin' It
Monday March 30, 2009
The 2009 McDonald's All American Game will be played on Wednesday, April 1 at the University of Miami's Bank United Center.
College hoops fans will want to take note... the McDonald's ... Read More
Calipari to Kentucky?
Monday March 30, 2009
ESPN's Andy Katz -- appearing on the Mike & Mike show on ESPN Radio -- is reporting that Memphis coach John Calipari met with representatives of the University of Kentucky ... Read More
(1) North Carolina 72, (2) Oklahoma 60
Monday March 30, 2009
South Regional Final - Memphis
Carolina is headed back to the Final Four for a record 18th time.
The game was largely billed as Blake Griffin vs. Tyler Hansbrough. Oklahoma's forward won ... Read More
(2) Michigan State 64, (1) Louisville 52
Sunday March 29, 2009
Midwest Regional Final - Indianapolis
The best news Detroit has had in a while: they'll have a home town team in the Final Four at Ford Field. The Michigan State Spartans ... Read More
(3) Villanova 78, (1) Pittsburgh 76
Sunday March 29, 2009
East Regional Final - Boston
The 2009 NCAA Tournament officially has a signature moment.
Scottie Reynolds took a hand-off from Dante Cunningham at the Villanova foul line and drove the length of ... Read More
(1) Connecticut 82, (3) Missouri 75
Sunday March 29, 2009
West Regional Final - Glendale, AZ
Connecticut got a major lift from freshman point guard Kemba Walker and returns to the Final Four for the third time in school history.
Walker's ball-handling ... Read More
Required Viewing for Any Coach Applying at Kentucky
Saturday March 28, 2009
Attention, Billy Donovan. You too, John Calipari. And Travis Ford... and anyone else entertaining the idea of taking over the now-vacant head coaching position at the University of Kentucky:
This is ... Read More
(1) North Carolina 98, (4) Gonzaga 77
Saturday March 28, 2009
South Region Sweet Sixteen - Memphis
Guess that toe's OK after all.
Tar Heel guard Ty Lawson -- slowed by a toe injury for the better part of this month -- dominated ... Read More
(2) Michigan State 67, (3) Kansas 62
Saturday March 28, 2009
Midwest Region Sweet Sixteen - Indianapolis
Kalin Lucas didn't hit many shots in the game. But he hit the ones that counted most, lifting his Michigan State Spartans to the Elite ... Read More
(2) Oklahoma 84, (3) Syracuse 71
Saturday March 28, 2009
South Region Sweet Sixteen - Memphis
Gotta hand it to Jonny Flynn... he's brave.
Syracuse's star point guard... all six feet and 185 pounds of him... tried to step in and take ... Read More
(1) Louisville 103, (12) Arizona 64
Saturday March 28, 2009
Midwest Region Sweet Sixteen - Indianapolis
If the rumors are true, Louisville coach is interested in taking over the Arizona job after this season. Last night, he got a good look ... Read More
Gillispie Fired
Friday March 27, 2009
Billy Gillispie will not be retained as the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, the university announced today.
The end of Gillispie's tenure in Lexington was more or less assured when ... Read More
Buckeyes' Mullens to Enter Draft
Friday March 27, 2009
In what seems to be an annual rite of Spring, an Ohio State freshman center is declaring himself eligible for the NBA Draft. Two years ago, it was Greg Oden. ... Read More
Gillispie on his way out?
Friday March 27, 2009
One of the biggest jobs in college basketball could become available this week, with Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie reportedly in danger of getting the axe.
To call Gillispie's stint at Kentucky ... Read More
(3) Villanova 77, (2) Duke 54
Friday March 27, 2009
East Region Sweet Sixteen - Boston
Dante Cunningham's strong tournament continued, as Villanova's senior forward posted a double-double to lead the Villanova Wildcats into the Elite Eight.
The biggest criticism of Mike ... Read More
(3) Missouri 102, (2) Memphis 91
Friday March 27, 2009
West Region Sweet Sixteen - Glendale, AZ
Going into this game, the Memphis Tigers had a 27-game winning streak and a reputation as the nation's top defensive team. Both are now ... Read More
(1) Pittsburgh 60, (4) Xavier 55
Friday March 27, 2009
East Region Sweet Sixteen - Boston
Pitt trailed the Musketeers for most of the game, but big plays by point guard LeVance Fields in the final minute put the Panthers over ... Read More
(1) Connecticut 72, (2) Purdue 60
Friday March 27, 2009
West Region Sweet Sixteen - Glendale, AZ
The presence of 7'3" Hasheem Thabeet took away Purdue's interior game, as top-seeded Connecticut rolled to a spot in the Elite Eight.
Thabeet blocked four ... Read More
Big Trouble in Storrs
Thursday March 26, 2009
This should have been a week for the celebration of Connecticut basketball... the men's team is a top seed in the NCAA Tournament and rolled through the opening weekend of ... Read More
(1) Louisville 79, (9) Siena 72
Sunday March 22, 2009
Midwest Region Second Round - Dayton, OH
The Saints came close to knocking off the tournament's top overall seed, but Louisville's Terrence Williams sent 'em marching.
Williams scored 24 points and grabbed ... Read More
(2) Michigan State 74, (10) USC 69
Sunday March 22, 2009
Midwest Region Second Round - Minneapolis, MN
To reach the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament and beyond sometimes requires help from the unlikeliest of sources... like a scoring outburst from ... Read More
(3) Missouri 83, (6) Marquette 79
Sunday March 22, 2009
West Region Second Round - Boise, ID
If it had happened in the Final Four, Lazar Hayward's blunder might have gone down in history with Chris Webber's phantom time-out... instead, it's ... Read More
(1) Pittsburgh 84, (8) Oklahoma State 76
Sunday March 22, 2009
East Region Second Round - Dayton, OH
For the second straight game, Pittsburgh didn't have the look of a number one seed. But the Panthers played well enough to advance, knocking ... Read More
(12) Arizona 71, (13) Cleveland State 57
Sunday March 22, 2009
Midwest Region Second Round - Miami, FL
It seems sort of ridiculous to call the Arizona Wildcats this tournament's Cinderella. They're a perennial top-25 team, they've appeared in every NCAA Tournament ... Read More
(3) Kansas 60, (6) Dayton 43
Sunday March 22, 2009
Midwest Region Second Round - Minneapolis, MN
The Kansas Jayhawks lost a ton of talent after last year's championship... Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush, Russell Robinson, Sasha Kaun...
But Cole Aldrich came back, ... Read More
(4) Xavier 60, (12) Wisconsin 49
Sunday March 22, 2009
East Region Second Round - Boise, ID
The Badgers wanted to play today's game at a snail's pace, keep the score low, and try to steal one at the end. It ... Read More
(3) Syracuse 78, (6) Arizona State 67
Sunday March 22, 2009
South Region Second Round - Miami, FL
As has been the case so many times this season, Syracuse's superior guard play made the difference. Today's hero was Eric Devendorf, who hit ... Read More
You have to love Gus Johnson
Sunday March 22, 2009
That dude can read a network promo for 60 Minutes and make it sound like a buzzer-beater.
TONIGHT! On 60 Minutes... President OBAMA answers TOUGH QUESTIONS about his STIMULUS PACKAGE!!!
Marquette's James Cleared to Play vs. Mizzou
Sunday March 22, 2009
The second round of the NCAA Tournament has brought many happy returns thus far... Ty Lawson was back in the lineup for Carolina, and Jim Calhoun returned to the Connecticut ... Read More
(2) Duke 74, (6) Texas 69
Sunday March 22, 2009
East Region Second Round - Greensboro, NC
The Dookies were facing another NCAA first-weekend loss, but Gerald Henderson would have none of it. Duke's talented swingman scored 24 points to lead ... Read More
(4) Gonzaga 83, (12) Western Kentucky 81
Sunday March 22, 2009
South Region Second Round - Portland, OR
A last-second runner by Demetri Goodson ended the Hilltoppers' hopes of making a second straight trip to the Sweet Sixteen.
In one of the best ... Read More
(2) Oklahoma 73, (10) Michigan 63
Sunday March 22, 2009
South Region Second Round - Kansas City, MO
Michigan coach John Beilein's teams are known for frustrating opponents with a solid 1-3-1 zone. They could have been playing a 1-3-3 zone ... Read More
(1) North Carolina 84, (8) LSU 70
Sunday March 22, 2009
South Region Second Round - Greensboro, NC
Ty Lawson returned to the floor, and North Carolina may have reclaimed "favorite" status in this tournament.
Lawson, this year's ACC Player of the Year, ... Read More
(5) Purdue 76, (4) Washington 74
Sunday March 22, 2009
West Region Second Round - Portland, OR
Purdue's JaJuan Johnson made two key stops down the stretch as the fifth-seeded Boilermakers advanced to the Sweet Sixteen over four seed Washington.
Johnson led ... Read More
(1) Connecticut 92, (9) Texas A&M 66
Saturday March 21, 2009
West Region Second Round - Philadelphia, PA
The return of Jim Calhoun to the Connecticut bench didn't have much effect on the Huskies' play; as in the first round, they annihilated ... Read More
(2) Memphis 89, (10) Maryland 70
Saturday March 21, 2009
West Region Second Round - Kansas City, MO
Apparently the Cal State Northridge experience was a wake-up call for the Tigers. Memphis was all over the Terrapins from the opening tip, ... Read More
First Round Recap
Saturday March 21, 2009
And then there were 32. Here's a recap of all the first round games of the 2009 NCAA Tournament.
(3) Villanova 89, (6) UCLA 69
Saturday March 21, 2009
East Region Second Round - Philadelphia, PA
UCLA won't be making a fourth straight appearance in the Final Four -- Dante Cunningham and the Villanova Wildcats made sure of that.
The third-seeded ... Read More
(12) Wisconsin 61, (5) Florida State 59 (OT)
Saturday March 21, 2009
East Region - Boise, ID
A desperation bank-shot by Trevon Hughes won it for the Badgers in overtime.
With two seconds remaining in overtime and the Badgers down by one, Hughes drove ... Read More
(2) Michigan State 77, (15) Robert Morris 62
Saturday March 21, 2009
Midwest Region - Minneapolis, MN
At full strength, the Michigan State Spartans are one of the toughest teams in the nation. They haven't been at full strength for much of this ... Read More
(13) Cleveland State 84, (4) Wake Forest 69
Saturday March 21, 2009
Midwest Region - Miami, FL
Big upsets are becoming a habit for the Cleveland State Vikings.
Early this season, they beat mighty Syracuse on a buzzer-beating 60-footer by Cedric Jackson, and they ... Read More
(9) Siena 74, (8) Ohio State 72 (2 OT)
Saturday March 21, 2009
Midwest Region - Dayton, OH
The clutch shooting of Ronald Moore trumped Ohio State's home court advantage, as the Siena Saints knocked the Buckeyes from the tournament in double overtime.
Moore hit ... Read More
(4) Xavier 77, (13) Portland State 59
Saturday March 21, 2009
East Region - Boise, ID
Live by the three, die by the three. Xavier's active defense stifled Portland State's perimeter attack, and the Musketeers hit eight treys of their own on ... Read More
(10) USC 69, (7) Boston College 55
Saturday March 21, 2009
Midwest Region - Minneapolis, MN
USC's Taj Gibson pitched a perfect game.
The junior forward was 10-of-10 from the field for 24 points, leading the Trojans to a convincing win over BC ... Read More
(1) Louisville 74, (16) Morehead State 54
Saturday March 21, 2009
Midwest Region - Dayton, OH
You wouldn't know it from the final score, but Morehead State hung around with the tournament's top overall seed for far longer than anticipated, going into ... Read More
(12) Arizona 84, (5) Utah 71
Saturday March 21, 2009
Midwest Region - Miami, FL
The Arizona Wildcats were one of the last -- and most controversial -- teams invited to the Big Dance, but they proved they belong with a ... Read More
(3) Missouri 78, (14) Cornell 59
Saturday March 21, 2009
West Region - Boise, ID
Cornell hung with Mizzou through the first half, and went into the break down by just four. But in the second half, the talent disparity between ... Read More
(11) Dayton 68, (6) West Virginia 60
Saturday March 21, 2009
Midwest Region - Minneapolis, MN
The Big East is looking a little less beastly today; West Virginia is out of the tournament, and Dayton, an at-large team out of the Atlantic ... Read More
(1) Pittsburgh 72, (16) ETSU 62
Saturday March 21, 2009
East Region - Dayton, OH
The Panthers seemed well on their way towards becoming the first-ever number one seed to lose to a sixteen. The Panthers struggled to break ETSU's press, ... Read More
(6) Arizona State 66, (11) Temple 57
Saturday March 21, 2009
South Region - Miami, FL
With the star struggling badly, the Sun Devils' supporting cast stepped up to lead ASU to a win over the A-10 champs.
ASU's James Harden is a ... Read More
(6) Marquette 58, (11) Utah State 57
Friday March 20, 2009
West Region - Boise, ID
Playing without injured guard Dominic James, Marquette was a popular "potential upset victim" pick, but the Golden Eagles held on to win what was probably the ... Read More
(8) Oklahoma State 77, (9) Tennessee 75
Friday March 20, 2009
East Region - Dayton, OH
Tyler Smith's last-second jumper found iron... and then, the top of the backboard... ending Tennessee's season with a resounding "clang." Just moments before, Oklahoma State point ... Read More
(3) Kansas 84, (14) North Dakota State 74
Friday March 20, 2009
Midwest Region - Minneapolis, MN
Note to the NCAA Tournament committee -- can we arrange an expedited transfer, please? One game's worth of Ben Woodside will simply not be sufficient... let's ... Read More
(3) Syracuse 59, (14) Stephen F. Austin 44
Friday March 20, 2009
South Regional - Miami, FL
Stephen F. Austin's first trip to the NCAA Tournament was over before it really began. The Lumberjacks missed 12 of their first 13 shots, amd started ... Read More
Clank!
Friday March 20, 2009
It is hard to recall any player at any big-time basketball school that looks as hopeless from the free-throw line as Syracuse forward Arinze Onuaku.
Onuaku shoots freebies like he's playing ... Read More
Upset Brewing?
Friday March 20, 2009
Seven minutes in... and North Dakota State -- in their first-ever NCAA Tournament, in their first year of eligibility to participate -- is ahead of the defending national champion Kansas ... Read More
Clean Bill of Health for Calhoun
Friday March 20, 2009
Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun has been released from the hospital and given a "clean bill of health," ESPN.com reports. The hall-of-fame coach is back with the team at their hotel, ... Read More
Equal Time
Friday March 20, 2009
A defense of President Obama's highly-publicized foray into March Madness comes from an unlikely source... the conservative National Review's blog.
NRO contributor Drew Cline writes:
As much as I think President ... Read More
(7) Texas 76, (10) Minnesota 62
Thursday March 19, 2009
East Region - Greensboro, NC
The Longhorns didn't exactly finish the season strong, having dropped seven of their last fourteen games this season. But a cold streak can turn into a ... Read More
(12) Western Kentucky 76, (5) Illinois 72
Thursday March 19, 2009
South Region - Portland, OR
This seems to happen to a five seed every year...
The Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky followed up last year's surprise run to the Sweet Sixteen by upsetting ... Read More
(10) Maryland 84, (7) California 71
Thursday March 19, 2009
West Region - Kansas City, MO
The Terrapins managed to stop the nation's best three-point attack... and in doing so, stopped Cal's run in the NCAA Tournament.
Cal entered the game as ... Read More
(9) Texas A&M 79, (8) BYU 66
Thursday March 19, 2009
West Region - Philadelphia, PA
The Aggies knocked the Cougars out of the NCAA Tournament in the first round for the second straight year.
Texas A&M took control early, building a 22-7 ... Read More
(6) UCLA 65, (11) VCU 64
Thursday March 19, 2009
East Region - Philadelphia, PA
Eric Maynor's shot came up just short -- and so did VCU's bid to upset UCLA.
Maynor led the Rams with 21 points, but wasn't able to ... Read More
(2) Oklahoma 82, (15) Morgan State 54
Thursday March 19, 2009
South Region - Kansas City, MO
Blake Griffin walked away from a fall that had Sooner fans holding their collective breath -- and Oklahoma walked over Morgan State, 82-54.
Griffin, the prohibitive ... Read More
(2) Duke 86, (15) Binghamton 62
Thursday March 19, 2009
East Region - Greensboro, NC
Duke has been one of the top programs in college basketball for the last quarter-century or so. Binghamton just made the jump to Division I in ... Read More
(4) Gonzaga 77, (13) Akron 64
Thursday March 19, 2009
South Region - Portland, OR
In another closer-than-anticipated game, Gonzaga needed a late rally to put away the Akron Zips.
Akron had a six-point lead at halftime over the fourth-seeded Bulldogs, playing ... Read More
(3) Villanova 80, (14) American 67
Thursday March 19, 2009
East Region - Philadelphia, PA
What home-court advantage? The highly-rated Wildcats, playing in their home town of Philadelphia, had to claw back from a 14-point deficit to beat the Patriot League ... Read More
(10) Michigan 62, (7) Clemson 59
Thursday March 19, 2009
South Region - Kansas City, MO
If it was a footrace, Clemson's superior athletes would have torched the Wolverines. But it was a basketball game... and Michigan's steady zone defense and ... Read More
(4) Washington 71, (13) Mississippi State 58
Thursday March 19, 2009
West Region - Portland, OR
For the second straight year, the unlikely champion of the SEC was unable to continue its hot streak through the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The ... Read More
(1) Connecticut 103, (16) Chattanooga 47
Thursday March 19, 2009
West Region - Philadelphia, PA
The absence of their hall of fame coach didn't seem to phase the Connecticut Huskies, who thoroughly outclassed the Mocs of Tennessee Chattanooga in their opening ... Read More
(1) North Carolina 101, (16) Radford 58
Thursday March 19, 2009
South Region - Greensboro, NC
The Tar Heels didn't miss Ty Lawson in their NCAA Tournament opener. Wayne Ellington scored 25 points and Tyler Hansbrough 22, and Carolina cruised to a ... Read More
(5) Purdue 61, (12) Northern Iowa 56
Thursday March 19, 2009
West Region - Portland, OR
Purdue hung on for dear life to beat Northern Iowa in their first-round matchup. The Panthers closed to within a basket with 17.4 seconds remaining in ... Read More
(2) Memphis 81, (15) Cal State Northridge 75
Thursday March 19, 2009
West Region - Kansas City, MO
In a game that had NCAA fans nationwide -- me included -- fearing for their brackets, the second-seeded Tigers pulled away from Cal State late, ... Read More
(8) LSU 75, (9) Butler 71
Thursday March 19, 2009
South Region - Greensboro, NC
The Butler Bulldogs were one of the most highly-regarded mid-majors this season, spending most of the year in the top 25. But they were unable to ... Read More
Obracket Reaction: Coach K is unimpressed
Thursday March 19, 2009
Maybe it's because Barack Obama selected his arch-rival, the Carolina Tar Heels, to win the NCAA tournament, but Duke's Mike Krzyzewski seems highly unimpressed by the president's foray into March ... Read More
Calhoun to Miss Connecticut's Tournament Opener
Thursday March 19, 2009
Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun will miss the Huskies' first-round game against Chattanooga tonight due to an unspecified illness. Assistant coach George Blaney will coach UConn in Calhoun's place.
The official word ... Read More
Quite a turnaround...
Thursday March 19, 2009
Memphis was down six with ten minutes remaining, but pulled away from the Matadors of Cal State Northridge to win by an 81-70 margin.
The Tigers' Robert Sallie played the game ... Read More
I may set a new record for bracket futility...
Thursday March 19, 2009
Memphis, my pick to win it all, is down 6 to fifteen seed Cal State Northridge with ten minutes to go in their opening-round game.
Lawson Still Hurting
Thursday March 19, 2009
Most online bracket pools will allow you to make updates to your picks until the first games tip off -- approximately an hour from now. So the news that North ... Read More
Obracket Update: The President is 0-1
Wednesday March 18, 2009
As we mentioned earlier today, President Obama is sharing his NCAA Tournament picks with the country via ESPN.com. ESPN's Andy Katz has the full breakdown of what is clearly the ... Read More
And... they're off!
Wednesday March 18, 2009
The field of 65 is already shrinking. Morehead State dominated Alabama State, 58-43, in last night's "opening round" game.
(Why the quotes? If it looks like a play-in game, and it ... Read More
Obracket
Wednesday March 18, 2009
Like just about everyone else in the country, President Obama is getting into March Madness. His complete set of picks will be released during today's noon edition of SportsCenter, but ... Read More
2010 Final Four Tickets
Wednesday March 18, 2009
Want to see the Final Four in person? Best to plan ahead. The NCAA is accepting applications now for the 2010 Final Four ticket lottery, for tickets to both the ... Read More
2009 Tournament Predictions
Sunday March 15, 2009
The field is set, and now the real fun begins... that most sacred of springtime rituals, "The Filling of the Brackets." Here are my... educated guesses as to how the ... Read More
Another "1" Bites the Dust
Sunday March 15, 2009
I'd like to thank Louisville for winning the Big East Tournament last night, and proving that the top seed in a major conference actually can hold serve. The top seeds ... Read More
March Madness Mobile
Friday March 13, 2009
No need to be glued to your couch for the NCAA Tournament. This year, you'll be able to watch all the games on your iPhone.
MobiTV, which offers prime-time TV programming ... Read More
"Guaranteed" Tournament Winners?
Friday March 13, 2009
The Gazelle Group -- the promoters behind many of the bigger early season tournaments -- are up to their old tricks.
We received an e-mail this week announcing the slate for ... Read More
Syracuse Tops UConn in Sixth Overtime
Friday March 13, 2009
I hope the popcorn vendors at Madison Square Garden get overtime... If so, they made a mint last night, when the Connecticut/Syracuse Big East Quarterfinal game took six overtimes to ... Read More
Pass the Rock on Facebook, Raise Money for Coaches vs. Cancer
Thursday March 12, 2009
Now hoops fans can take a break from writing "25 random facts" notes and werewolf bites, and actually do something productive while wasting time on Facebook.
Wilson Sporting Goods -- the ... Read More
NYC Teams Sitting Out Big Dance
Tuesday March 10, 2009
Three of the New York area's big-time programs... St. John's, Rutgers and Seton Hall... will play today in the bottom-dweller bracket of the Big East Tournament.
Fordham? Last in the A-10.
Manhattan ... Read More
Cornell: First to the Party Once Again
Tuesday March 10, 2009
For the second straight year, the Cornell was the first team to earn a spot in the field of 65. The Big Red clinched the Ivy League title with a ... Read More
Free Throw Shooting Hasn't Improved in 50 Years
Thursday March 5, 2009
Look at video of a basketball game from 50 years ago... even from 25 years ago. The differences are enormous. Fifty years ago, the game was played almost entirely beneath ... Read More
Rick Pitino? Or Colonel Sanders?
Wednesday March 4, 2009
Getty Images / Andy Lyons
There's no truth to the rumor that Rick Pitino stole this suit from Philip Michael Thomas.
More of What Not to Wear: College Coaches Edition
Wordless ... Read More
Weekend Recap
Monday March 2, 2009
Heading in to the last week of the regular season... and what have we learned?
The Tar Heels blasted Georgia Tech over the weekend, and appear to be working their ... Read More