Tourney Live-Blogging

12:18pm - Great finish to the Tennessee game and a roller coaster ride for all the bettors out there. Texas looks to give the second overtime cover of the day for those that had BYU, like some guys I happen to know. All in all, it was a great day. I enjoyed doing the blogging throughout the day but it's time to call it a night. I will post my wrap-up thoughts from the first day of action tomorrow morning.

11:43pm - It looks like San Diego St.-Tennessee could be our next great finish. This game has a back and forth type feel to it and I bet it goes down to the wire. Texas, much like Washington when I said it, refuses to go quietly. The only thing left to talk about in the Kansas game is whether they cover the 25 point spread or not. Sorry Lehigh, it was fun while it was lasted. Get back to designing our bridges now please.

11:30pm - It looks like Texas wants everyone to remember how this season went up in flames. From 17-0 and the number 1 team in the country to a #8 seed in the tournament and a first round loss. Rick Barnes' teams never seem to reach their potential. Why is this?

11:19pm - Did anyone know Wayne Chism is missing his headband? He also loses it twice per game. (You get this if you're watching the Tennessee game right now.) Good start to the second half for San Diego State. Wake Forest looks like they have jumped out to a good start in the 2nd half as well, but I would not know since CBS refuses to show me a second of this game.

11:08pm - I was talking about how ugly the Tennessee-San Diego State game was at times, but that was before this Montana-New Mexico contest became the featured game. Now this is some ugly basketball. Darrington Hobson just went down for New Mexico, this could be huge for the outcome of this game if Hobson cannot return. He is the Lobos do all it all premier player.

10:51pm - Kansas only leads by 6 at the break. I doubt that this game even stays close in the second half, but it is always interesting when a #1 seed is in a bit of trouble. Remember, a #1 seed has never lost since the current seeding format was put in place.

Texas leads Wake Forest by 1 at halftime in the game of who can end the year with the most disappointing season. I expect Texas to win this game, but the way they shoot free throws I do not feel all that confident.

10:41pm - This San Diego State-Tennessee game has been very weird. One play a team looks great, the next it is completely terrible. Very weird game to try and get a grasp of at this point. CBS, meanwhile, has not shown us a single second of the Texas-Wake Forest game. Keep up the great work CBS!

10:19pm - Wayne Chism of Tennessee just bricked a wide open 3 without drawing iron. That was followed immediately by a San Diego State player hitting the side of the backboard on a corner 3. Needless to say, we are no longer watching the Washington-Marquette game.

Kansas, meanwhile, has gotten off to a slow start. I'm guessing they may have been shocked to see a five-man starting line-up consisting of all white guys on the other side.

10:06pm - Well that wasn't fun. Not only does Marquette lose, it takes a half hour to play 1.7 seconds. These coaches have too many time outs at their disposal. More importantly, how does Marquette let Washington's best player go one-on-one all the way to the hoop?!? What kind of defense was that...Where is the help? Where is the double team? You have to make him give the ball up in that situation.

In a related and surprising note, the big, bad Big East is now 1-3 in the tournament with their only win being Villanova's ugly W in overtime over Robert Morris. I don't think the Big East supporters will be talking too much tomorrow!

9:43pm - That did not take long. Washington erases a 13-point defecit and now leads by 1 with five minutes remaining. Have either of these teams ever heard of the word defense?

9:36pm - See what happens when you speak to soon. Washington right back in the game. I should have known better with two teams that play offense as well as these two do. We may just have another fantastic finish.

9:25pm - I told you we were going to get a great finish in the 8-9 game in the Midwest. What a shot by the Northern Iowa kid. When he shot it, I yelled 'no!' I quickly followed that up with 'yes, great shot!' Marquette looks to be pulling away so we may take a quick break as these first games of the night wind down.

9:11pm - Going to be a great finish in the Northern Iowa-UNLV game. UNLV was able to counter N.Iowa's 11-1 run with a quick 7-0 run themselves. Going to be another great finish I think. Meanwhile, Kentucky looks like they are going to make it interesting, interesting on the 19 point line anyway!

8:50pm - Fantastic half of basketball. Washington shot 66.7% from 3pt range and nearly 56% overall. Marquette, who leads by 1 at the break, was cold compared to that, shooting 63.6% from 3 and 52% overall. The team that wins this game is going to be the one who steps up and plays a little defense in the 2nd half.

The Kentucky game is over and it looks like John Thompson III's speech didn't work at halftime as Ohio has extended their lead on the Hoyas. Our only drama in the three early games looks like it might come from Northern Iowa-UNLV, a game that has been tight throughout.

8:21pm - I haven't taken my eyes off the TV. Wow, this game is an incredible show of offense by both teams. Thank goodness the other three games are all at halftime at the same time so the whole country can see this up and down show. Wonder what Thompson III is saying to his Hoyas in the locker room. I cannot imagine that is a very fun place to be right now.

8:05pm - Super fast start to the Marquette-Washington game. I told you this could be a fun one. I have no idea what John Thompson's boys are doing. Taking the opponent lightly anyone?

7:57pm - Marquette and Washington have tipped off. This could be the most entertaining game of the night. Both of these teams will play fast and are very efficient of offense.

By the way, we went with Northern Iowa, Georgetown, Kentucky and Marquette against the spread. We are off to a so-so 4-4 start in the afternoon games.

7:52pm - Kentucky is off to a great start. Georgetown, however, is struggling out of the gate with Ohio, who finished in 9th place in the MAC during the regular season by the way. UNLV-Northern Iowa looks like it could be a good one. Watching UNLV, they seem like a team who should be better than they play. We're off to a slow start on the live blogging, but quite frankly, not too much has been happening. Maybe it's just the letdown coming off such great games to start the day.

7:30pm - We're back! And my bracket took a beating while we were gone as both Richmond and UTEP imploded in the 2nd half. What in the world happened to UTEP in the 2nd half? They were winning by 6 at halftime and went down by as many as 17 within the first 7 or 8 minutes after halftime. Talk about total lack of adjustments...

Entertaining start to the UNLV-Northern Iowa game so far.

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5:00pm - Baylor holds on for the victory and my bracket stays in tact. This Richmond-St. Mary's game is the opposite of exciting and it is now 5pm. Sounds like a good time to get some dinner, recharge the batteries and come back strong tonight. What a great start to the tournament! See everyone in a couple hours.

4:43pm - First buzzer beater of the tournament!!!! My bracket remains perfect through four games! Go home Vandy! Yes, I feel like I just hit that jumper!

4:41pm - Good replay work there, originally thought that ball was off Murray St. I'm pulling hard for a Murray State victory here!

4:35pm - Well it took halftime of the Richmond-St.Mary's game, but I think we will finally get the Murray State finish. I pray that ESPN wins the bidding rights for this coverage either next year or in three years when the current deal expires (the NCAA has an option of opting out of its current deal). By the way, this McConnell kid from St. Mary's is on fire right now. Tied up at halftime, and St. Mary's has to feel good going in with their big man in foul trouble and sitting the final seven minutes of the half.

4:26pm - We're still sitting here with this Richmond game on while a great game between Murray State and Vanderbilt, a 2 point game with under three minutes no less, is going on. We have it on the computer, but come on CBS, do your job!

4:15pm - Kansas State is starting to pull away, so much for my wife's upset pick! Baylor has taken the lead early in the second half, Richmond is up early and Murray State continues to lead Vanderbilt. At this point I would be excited if I bet money on these games. Ask me again in 10 minutes, though, as one thing you know in hoops is that it is a game of runs.

4:09pm - Kind of a lull in the action. CBS is force feeding us the Richmond-St.Mary's game right now on our main TV. Meanwhile, two high seeds are losing in the second half of the other two games currently in action. Good job CBS!

3:48pm - Got a text from another buddy wondering if I think Seton Hall or St. John's were watching that Robert Morris game. I agree, Rice would be a great fit at one of those schools. My Dad chimed in that Duquesne made a big mistake when they fired Mike Rice Sr. as their head coach nearly 30 years ago.

3:41pm - What a great start to the tournament, I can't say it enough. Took the dog for a quick walk for some fresh air after three great games. Murray State is up at the half, so far, so good on my bracket! I don't like Sam Houston State hanging around with Baylor, however. Sam Houston State was one team I hadn't seen much of and so far I am pretty impressed. My wife's North Texas pick is looking good so far! Yes, I am kidding. Robert Morris was able to hang around the whole game, though, maybe North Texas is stealing some of their 15 seed mojo.

3:12pm - Robert Morris won't go away!!! What a start to the tournament. A one-point win, a double overtime game and now a great finish to another OT game!!! That's why we love March Madness.

3:05pm - Did I say I hate gambling?!? I meant I love it! BYU covers the 5.5 spread in double overtime. As my buddy texted me, "never worried". Villanova is going to win this game in overtime. That's a shame, Robert Morris has outplayed them for most of this game. Mike Rice, Robert Morris' head coach, is going to end up coaching a big-time program someday, you heard it here first!

2:25pm - ODU holds on! I think I picked them to win in every bracket I have. Notre Dame lets teams hang around and it cost them. We are happy that BYU heads to overtime after blowing a 13 point lead. This is why betting sucks! Nova continues to struggle with Bobby Mo, it's time to start rooting for the underdog.

Once again if gambling were legal, I would give the points with Richmond, Baylor and Kansas State and take the points with UTEP and Murray State in the second set of games.

2:15pm - It is never easy! BYU blows a 13-point lead and is now trailing by 1 with a minute or so left, WTF! Need overtime it looks like. Meanwhile, ODU doesn't make a front end of a one-and-one, will be lucky to survive now.

1:59 pm - BYU looks like they might start pulling away. No surprise here if they do. I thought Florida was the worst at-large selection and BYU was very good against the spread all year. We have the Villanova- Bobby Mo game on here. The Colonials are not just getting lucky, they do not look overmatched at all. Maybe this Villanova team was just overrated all year long.

1:40 pm - Finally settled in to watch the games. My Dad says he has been watching some terribly ugly shooting so far. As long as ODU and BYU win and cover, I don't care how ugly it is! Will check back in a little once I get to see some actual basketball.

12:10pm - My first ever live blog, well semi-live since we'll update every little bit with a few tidbits since I have not mastered by live-blogging technology yet. Anyways, if gambling were legal, I would be taking 'Nova minus the points, BYU minus the points and Old Dominion plus the points in the three early games.

I need to finish some things up at my real job so expect some delays early on. I will be back in about an hour with my early thoughts on the day's first games.