Here are today's games:
(2) Houston v. (6) Tennessee (1:20 P.M. -- CBS)
(4) Auburn v. (8) Michigan St. (4:05 P.M. -- CBS)
In the opener, Tennessee -- who is used to bullying everyone else -- is getting pushed around by Houston. The Cougars lead 34 to 15 at the half, as Tennessee's lack of basketball skill is hurting it in a game where its physicality is counterbalanced by Houston's own.
In football season, Tennessee beat Alabama only to be humiliated by Ohio State in the playoff.
ReplyDeleteIn basketball season, Tennessee pounded Kentucky only to be humiliated by Houston in the Regional Final.
ReplyDeleteIn Tennessee, these are regarded as successful seasons.
ReplyDeleteHouston wins 69-50, even though UT got 20 FT's and Houston only got 4. The Vols went 5-29 from three-point range.
ReplyDeleteI was so hopeful that Purdue could squeak by Houston, because, if so, I knew the Boilers would very likely return to the Final Four because the Vols would already be on summer vacation after beating Kentucky.
DeleteAlabama pounded UK in the SEC Tournament, and was blown out by Duke in the East Regional Final. Tennessee crushed UK in the NCAA Tournament, and was blown out by Houston in the Midwest Regional Final. So, the Cats need to get much better than they were this year if they want to compete for a National Title.
ReplyDeleteTrue!
DeleteIn Nashville, Arkansas sweeps Vandy in baseball, and the Dores fall to 4-5 in SEC play. The Vandy fans think that legendary Vandy Manager Tim Corbin has failed to adapt to a game that features many more homers than the game Vandy ruled in the 2010's, and they're probably right.
ReplyDeleteMichigan State has won 11 consecutive NCAA Tournament games against teams from the SEC. It feels like half of those were against Tubby and UK.
ReplyDeleteAuburn beats Michigan State 70 to 64. I am extremely impressed that Auburn beat Michigan and Michigan State back to back. Those are schools that have caused major headaches for Kentucky for many years.
ReplyDeleteAnd that ends March basketball. One of the best tournament seasons (both college and high school) I can remember, and certainly the best since 2019.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that Buzz Williams is going to Maryland. He's a coach that I really like, and I hated having to root against him. Plus I like the Terps. My hot take is that Buzz Williams will be more successful at Maryland than Kevin Willard will be at Villanova.
ReplyDeleteI have had a sneaking suspicion for a few years that Kevin Willard is going to coach UK some day.
ReplyDeleteI've got to say I don't see that happening, and if it does UK is in big trouble.
DeleteBut I agree about Buzz Williams to Maryland being good news. I like him and Maryland, and I'm glad he's out of the SEC.
ReplyDeleteSouth Carolina by 17 over Texas and UConn by 34 over UCLA in the women's semis--brutal.
ReplyDeleteHouston just missed another three-footer in the lane. Sometimes playing hard isn't enough.
ReplyDeleteHouston trails Duke by 7 with 2 minutes left. Houston couldn't score seven points in two minutes even if Duke walked off the floor.
ReplyDeleteThey don't call fouls properly all year, and reward "tough" teams like Houston and Tennessee, and then we have to watch a team with no offense in the Final Four.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't football.
ReplyDeleteDown through the years, Duke has had a bunch of hyped up guys who weren't really that good. Cooper Flagg is really that good. This has been his tournament so far.
ReplyDeleteSo it's Duke and Florida in the Final. This will be best final matchup since 2016 (Villanova and N. Carolina).
ReplyDeleteBecause UNC lost, we don't hear much about the 2016 Final. But it was possibly the best final ever played.
DeleteFrom the beginning, it's been pretty obvious that Florida was the only team with a chance against Duke. I don't know if they'll take that chance, but no one else was going to be close.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Houston is so tough that it just got called for a technical for knocking the ball out of the in-bounder's hands. TOUGHNESS!!!
ReplyDeleteAs you can tell, I'm not a fan of Kelvin Sampson and his football players. But they did crush Tennessee, and I give them a lot of credit for that.
ReplyDeleteIf Duke wins this tournament, I predict a national title for UNC within the next four years:
ReplyDeleteDuke 1991 and 1992: UNC 1993
Duke 2001: UNC 2005
UNC 2009: Duke 2010
Duke 2015: UNC 2017
I take it all back. DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHOORAY!!!!!
ReplyDelete41 years ago, I desperately wanted Houston to beat Georgetown in the National Championship Game. They let me down. BUT THEY CAME THROUGH TONIGHT!
ReplyDeleteIt's now been ten years since UK went to the Final Four, and ten years since Duke played for the title.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, this was the most-watched Final Four since 2017. And it should have been -- it's been a great tournament.
ReplyDeleteThis will be only the second time since 2013 that no team from the Classic ACC or the Classic Big East is in the Final.
ReplyDeleteIn the women's final, UConn crushes South Carolina 82 to 59. That is UConn's 12th NCAA Title, and their first since 2016.
ReplyDeleteR.E.M.'s album "Automatic for the People" was released on October 5, 1992. For the next six months I pretty much did two things: listen to "Automatic for the People" and watch UK's fabulous 1992-93 team, which is actually my favorite team we ever had.
ReplyDeleteI'm listening to "Automatic for the People" right now, and it still makes me think of Travis Ford and Jamal Mashburn.
ReplyDeleteIn early 1993, you could watch one of the greatest UK teams ever crush an SEC Opponent on Wednesday night, and then watch a brand-new episode of Seinfeld the next night. And the rest of the time you could listen to the new R.E.M. album.
ReplyDeletePop culture in the 1990's may have been as good as pop culture in the 1960's. I have to give this some thought.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, if it feels like UK has been out of the running for a long time, consider that the Tennessee women's basketball team hasn't been to the Final Four since 2008, and hasn't been to a Regional Final since 2016.
ReplyDeleteWell, I was hoping for Houston.
ReplyDeleteUK finishes at Number 16 on Ken Pom. That's their highest finish since 2022.
ReplyDelete