NCAA Tourney: Day 2

By Eric Y

That was one amazing basketball day. The field is cut down to 32, the first round is over, and it sure went out with a bang. Here are some things I noted during the games today:

- I'm currently filled with energy just because of the Wisconsin-Florida State game. Wisconsin played incredibly good defense, a trademark of coach Bo Ryan's tenure. They don't have one big star like they have in the past (Alando Tucker, Devin Harris), but have a bunch of guys who can contribute and excel in all parts of the game. The Badgers have a serious shot to make it to the Sweet 16. Xavier is a tad overrated, and if Wisconsin plays good defense, they can beat them.

- One of my upset specials didn't go so well. I thought Temple had a good shot to knock off Arizona State today. The Owls hung with the Sun Devils for most of the game, and Dionte Christmas had another stellar game (29 points), but just couldn't pull off the upset.

- My other upset, however, worked out quite nicely. I picked Cleveland State to beat Wake Forest, and they did just that. Wake looked vulnerable throughout the later part of the season, yet Sports Illustrated still picked them to go to the Final Four. Shows them! The Vikes jumped out to a big lead early and never looked back. An undersized Cleveland State squad (their tallest player is just 6'9") was overpowered on the boards by the Demon Deacons, but turned over the ball just 6 times and forced Wake to turn the ball over 18 times. Cleveland State's momentum might be enough to carry them past Arizona next round into the Sweet 16. Also, the Horizon League is now turning into a mid-major powerhouse. Butler has established itself as a contender over the past few years; as previously mentioned, Cleveland State is threatening; Milwaukee made it to the second round 3 years ago and the Sweet 16 the year before that; and Green Bay made it to the NIT after finishing in second place. I could see the Horizon getting 3 bids in the near future.

- Marquette just isn't the same team without Dominic James. They squeaked past Utah State in the first round, but have to play better to beat a good Missouri team next round. With James done for the season with a broken foot, Jerel McNeal and Wes Matthews have to shoulder the load for the Golden Eagles, but they were a bit off today. Combined, they went 6-26 from the field for 25 points. Lazar Hayward had a big game for them with 26 points, but McNeal or Matthews has to step up for Marquette to get to the Sweet 16.

- I am shamelessly jumping on the Ben Woodside bandwagon. The North Dakota State senior guard scored 37 points in a losing effort against Kansas and averages 29 a game. He's sneaky and can find ways to score, shooting jumpers or slashing through Jayhawk defenders to the basket with ease. He reminds me a lot of Steve Nash, and I would really like to see him get a shot in the NBA.

- Sherron Collins-Cole Aldrich is establishing itself as one of the best small man-big man combos in the NCAA. Collins is a fiery competitor, an excellent shooter and a great distributer. He was playing a one-on-one game with Woodside for most of the game today. Aldrich is a beast, averaging a double-double. He grabs a ton of boards and is a force in the paint. These two should easily dismantle Dayton in the next round, and by next year, Aldrich-Collins will be arguably the best combo in the nation.

- You're killin' me Ohio State. That was a great game, and I don't know how Siena was able to pull off that win. All 5 of their starters scored in double figures, and Ronald Moore was clutch, scoring 7 of his 11 points in the two overtimes, including a three-ball with just 3 seconds left to force double overtime. Evan Turner had a spectacular game (25 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists), but he couldn't do it all for the Buckeyes. Expect Ohio State to be a force next year though, led by Turner, center B.J. Mullens, and hustle player P.J. Hill.

Well, that's about all I have to say. I'm looking forward to Purdue-Washington, UCLA-'Nova, and, of course, my hometown Maryland Terrapins vs. Memphis. Should be a great basketball day. Oh, and my bracket is currently 91% correct. Awwww yeah.