March Madness Update 3
March 25, 2023
#1 Seeds All Out
Tournament Action Update
Sweet Sixteen action began Thursday night in NYC. In the initial game, Kansas State quelled the naysayers and dispatched college basketball’s best sweet sixteen coach, Tom Izzo, and the Michigan State Spartans in a raucous overtime game. K State held the lead in the first half but Sparty came back to take it from them. Back and forth in a very exciting game came down to the final minutes. Michigan State down 2 points with 19 seconds left. Game tied with 5 seconds and last shot by Nowell no good. An extra five minutes in game one of the Sweet Sixteen! Tied 90-90 with 2 minutes to go. K State up one with 17 seconds to go. Up 3 with 12 seconds. Michigan State loses the ball without a last second attempt, Final score Kansas State 98-Michigan State 93. Markquis Nowell with NCAA tournament record with 19 assists.
In the West Regional, UConn throttled Arkansas in the first half and led by 17 points, 46-29. Things went from bad to worse late in the game for the Razorbacks. Thoroughly throttled. Huskie starters removed from the game with 3 minutes left. Final score Connecticut 88 Arkansas 65. Arkansas game field goal percentage barely over 30%.
Further East Regional actioned featured the #9 seeded Florida Atlantic Owls vs. the #4 Tennessee Volunteers in Madison Square Garden’s second game. The Vols brought an international flare, big, tall, and defensive. FAU moves the ball, fast, and scores. After holding a 27-22 half time lead, Florida Atlantic took the lead under the 10 minute mark 41-39. Then increased the lead to 7 points after a 15-2 run over several minutes. Time out Tennessee with 7:22 left. The Vols remained tenacious and cut the lead to 5 points with three minutes plus remaining. The Owls were hooting in the final two minutes, extending their lead to 9 points, and that’s all she wrote! Final score Florida Atlantic 62 Tennessee 55. The #9 seed moves on.
Late night West Regional action closed out the Thursday slate. 30-5 Gonzaga faced off with 31-5 UCLA. Mark Few vs. Mick Cronin. UCLA off to a great start and led 46-33 at the half. The Zags however cut the lead to 4 points with 14 minutes to go compliments of a sensational game in progress by Drew Timme. Under ten minutes and the game tied at 59. In the final minutes, the Zags were humming and the Bruins looked tired. No scores from the field by UCLA in eleven minutes. A ten point lead for Gonzaga late. 22-4 run. Late rally by the Bruins after trailing 72-62 with under 3 minutes, cut it to 2 points made for an exciting finish. Zags don’t score and miss free throws at the end. Bruins hit a 3-pointer to take a 76-75 lead.
But then!! Long range 3-point bomb all the way from Reno, by Julian Strawther to take back the lead 78-76. Seals it at the line and a half court shot falls short for UCLA. 36 points and 13 rebounds for Drew Timme. Final score Zags 79 UCLA 76
Friday action tipped off at 5:30pm central in the South. Horse country, Louisville, KY. The #1 seed in the land, Alabama faced off with the # 5 Aztecs of San Diego State. Abysmal shooting from both sides in the first half in what was supposed to be a pinball game with records scoring was indeed back and forth, high flying, and exciting. But the game was a mere 13-13 with seven minutes plus in the first half. A combined 25% field goal % and 13% from the 3-point line at this point. Could have been a blow out either way but looked more like a street game with D team players all hyped up on Substance B. Wouldn’t call it great defense, but that’s what they’ll say. Madness Central saw a different game. Bricks and fouls, loose and sloppy play. But SDS got the best of them, leading at the half by 5 points. Averaging 82 points a game, the Elephants of Bama with a measly 23 points at the half, 7 turnovers. 1 of 11 from the 3 point line. The Tide came out firing in the second half however. 13-4 run in the first 4 plus minutes to take the lead by 6 points. Under 8 minutes and the Aztecs had retaken the lead in a close game. No quit on either side. 16-2 run for the Aztecs with Bama cold from beyond the arc. Only 3 for 21 at this point in the game, but only down by 3 with under 5 minutes remaining. State lead increased to 7 with the Tide on the ropes. Better game in the second half on both sides. Alabama made it REALLY close with but 2 points down under 1 minute to go. Time ran out for Alabama. #1 goes DOWN. The Mountain West goes to the Elite Eight for the first time ever. Great team effort for the Aztecs.
Final Score: San Diego State 71 Alabama 64
Midwest regional action in KC, home of the Chiefs, brought the #5 Hurricanes of Miami to face #1 Houston. Boys from South Beach started slow o-for from the field early, but righted the ship and took the mid first half lead after 10 minutes. This was a more polished game. Sasser and Mark’s bombs brought the Cougars back again. Multiple lead changes in the first half. Two games in progress but this the more exciting early. Serious athleticism. Half time score Miami led 42-36. Second half action with Miami coming out of the locker room with a 5-0 run in the first minute to go up by 11 points. With under 5 minutes to go, the Canes take a 13 point lead.
The last number 1 seed goes down. LOL. What a tournament.
Final score: Miami 89 Houston 75
Second game of the South Regional pitted the #15 seeded Princeton against #6 Creighton.
Princeton the two game surprising victor against Arizona and Missouri entered the game as the biggest long shot of them all, a 9 1/2 point dog against the BlueJays of Creighton out of the Big East after mid major success in years gone by. Andrew Saltzman, Princeton grad in attendace at the Yum! Yum! Come Get You Some Center tonight in Louisville, a mere 90 miles from March Madness Central. Creighton takes a 21-14 lead at the 12 minute TV time out in a steady reserved game with 75% from the field. Princeton fundamentally sound which would make Pete Carril proud. Back door cuts never get old. RIP at age 92. Head coach for 30 years. Princeton ties the game at 29 at the seven minute mark of the first half. Leads by 4 under the 5 minute mark. At the half, Creighton 47-43. Second half saw Creighton talent pull away with a 13 point lead with under 10 minutes to play. Seven points up with 3:13 to go. Game in hand. Only excitement at the end was would Princeton cover the spread. Not that those in New Jersey care. Can’t bet on the state teams. They lost by 11 anyway.
Clock struck midnight on Cinderella.
Final score: Creighton 86 Princeton 75
Last game to tip off for the evening and to conclude the Sweet Sixteen found the #3 seeded Xavier against #2 seeded Texas. Interested in this one to see if the final #2 seed alive was as good as advertised and had a chance to win it all. Longhorns defense held the Musketeers to 27% at the half and held a commanding lead 42-25, including a near half court bank for three at the buzzer by Timmy Allen. Lead extends to 20 at the 12 minute mark. This game so boring and out of hand, I had to turn it off and work on taxes. Back now. Mercilessly this game drags on. Finally. Game over. 5 Longhorns in double figures. At least local Castle high school talent, Jack Nunge from Newburgh, IN for the X-men had a game with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Shout out.
Final score: Texas 83 Xavier 71
Pool Update
With only 8 teams left in the field, the current standings after Round 3 in the Madness Pool 2023 showed changes, and plenty of possibilities left. 490 unofficial entries. Still waiting on some responses. The sun always rises in the east. Death, taxes, and accounting struggles.
Nevertheless it’s all about the charities. And the lucky leaders who see their names in lights.
Round 3 Leaders
1) Greg Willming
2) Keith Bratton
3) Kevin Shinar
4) John Rapp
5) Michael Brown
6) Adam Bratton
7) Chris Cleary
8) Jeffrey Huelson
9) Mike Cleary
10) Jax Bratton
Bridesmaid Debbie McDaniel
Last Place Wyatt Barnett
OMG! 3 Brattons in the top ten. Say what?
Standings are as of March 25, 4:31 pm
Saturday Elite Eight games have now started.
Best of luck,
Your committee