The Jock Strap
with Brian Bruce
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Three first round "must-see" games in The Big Dance
As I write this post on Tuesday evening (3/18) at about 5:45, we're all just a few hours away from the start of "The Madness." The best 3 weeks in sports, otherwise known as the NCAA Tournament, tips off tonight in Dayton with the "play-in" game, pitting two No. 16 seeds who will battle it out for the right to be bludgeoned by overall No. 1 seed North Carolina on Friday.
Now, if you're a total sports nut like me, you'll even watch the "play-in" game with vested interest. I still think that one of these days, even though No. 16 seeds are 0-92 all-time versus No. 1 seeds, one of these "little guys" will knock off Goliath and make tournament history. So, I'm going to watch Coppin State take on Mount St. Mary's and hope the winner can shock the world by defeating North Carolina. Of course, either of the two teams will lose to the Tar Heels by at least 30 points, but we can always dream the big dreams.
Looking toward the first round, let's focus on three "must-sees":
1. Omaha, Nebraska- Midwest Region- Thursday, 03/20/08- 6:10 PM tip-off- (6) USC (21-11)vs. (11) Kansas State (20-11)
This game possesses national intrigue. Why? The answer is simple. Star power. It's the Wildcats' Michael Beasley, a Player of the Year candidate (it's a two-horse race between "The Beas" and UNC's Tyler Hansbrough) vs. the Trojans' O.J. Mayo. Freshman versus freshman. Blue-chipper versus blue-chipper. Plus, you throw in K-State's Bill Walker, and you have three guys on the floor who all have great shots at becoming contributors if not standouts at the NBA level. Beasley averages 26.5 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. In a word, ridiculous. Walker scores 15.8 per game. Meanwhile, O.J. Mayo is averaging 20.8 ppg. Also, as Iowans know, USC head coach Tim Floyd used to be the head man at Iowa State, taking the Cyclones as far as the Sweet 16. His coaching ability is unquestioned. With those around the Hawkeye State being so familiar with him, this adds yet another facet to an already entertaining match-up. Again, you'll hate yourself for quite a while if you don't carve some time out of your Thursday night to take this one in.
2. Raleigh, North Carolina- Midwest Region- Friday, 03/21/08- 11:25 AM tip-off- (7) Gonzaga (25-7) vs. (10) Davidson (26-6)
The nation's perennial tourney "darling" versus "this year's George Mason." The Bulldogs had another fine season under one of the nation's best coaches, Mark Few. They won the West Coast Conference regular season crown with a 13-1 record, finishing one game ahead of outstanding St. Mary's in the league race. But, their opponent really takes this game's buzz to the next level. The Davidson Wildcats have won 24 consecutive games coming in, and went toe to toe with two of the nation's big boys early in the season without so much as batting an eye. On November 14th at now No. 1 North Carolina's "Dean Dome," Davidson hounded, irritated, and frustrated the Tar Heels on their home floor before finally falling 72-68 in a hotly contested battle. Then, on December 1st, the Wildcats marched into Cameron Indoor Stadium, home of the now No. 9 vaunted Duke Blue Devils, and stayed with Coach K's team the entire way before finally coming up just short, 79-73. As Dickie V would say, "This team can flat out play." Don't be surprised if Davidson beats Gonzaga and gives Big East regular season champion Georgetown a war before finally succumbing in the second round.
3. Tampa, Florida- West Region- Friday, 03/21/08- 11:30 AM tip-off- (5) Drake (28-4) vs. (12) Western Kentucky (27-6)
First-year head coach Keno Davis and his Drake Bulldogs continue to rake in awards after their amazing 2007-2008 run that culminated in a 28-4 record, the first MVC regular season crown since 1971, the school's first-ever MVC Tournament crown, and the school's first NCAA Tournament berth since 1971. Davis has already won a couple different coaching honors and is one of four finalists for the Naismith Coach of the Year Award. Adam Emmenecker and Josh Young are first-team All-MVC picks, etc., etc. Incredible stuff from a team that was picked during the preseason to finish 9th in a 10-team league race and just last year experienced its first winning season in the last 20. So, Cinderella very well may have been a Bulldog, but that Bulldog will have a tough customer on his hands in the first round. The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are 27-6 and took home the regular season and tourney titles in the Sun Belt Conference. Coach Darrin Horn is one of the nation's best "unknown coaches," and Courtney Lee (20.4 ppg) and Tyrone Brazelton (13.3 ppg) combine to comprise one of the nation's best one-two punches, that nobody knows about. A stern test for the boys from Des Moines, and you hope their outstanding coaching, leadership (primarily from Emmenecker), and skill (specifically speaking of Josh Young (15.8 ppg) and Leonard Houston (14.0 ppg)) will enable them to prevail, but that is anything but a foregone conclusion against the tourney's best 12-seed. If you're a true basketball junkie, especially residing anywhere in the state of Iowa, you know you'll be locked in on this hardwood battle.
4. (YES, I KNOW THAT I SAID THREE, BUT I LIED)- Anaheim, California- South Region- Thursday, 03/20/08- 1:30 PM tip-off- (6) Marquette (24-9) vs. (11) Kentucky (18-12)
Why do you have to be interested in this match-up, you ask? I'll tell you why. It includes my beloved alma mater, Marquette University. That's more than enough of a good reason, on top of the fact that because the game involves my alma mater, I've given you nothing less than a "must-watch" order. On top of those reasons, I assume that you'd like to see the Golden Eagles win their first of six in-a-row on the way to the school's second national championship (1977, God love ya Al McGuire!). Truthfully, I'm trying to be considerate here. I'm granting you the opportunity to remember and be a part of history!
Enjoy the Tournament one and all. This is nothing less than the avid sports fan's second coming of Christmas.
For more than you ever wanted to know about the 2008 NCAA Tournament, turn to CBS Sports via http://www.cbs.sportsline.com/.
Now, if you're a total sports nut like me, you'll even watch the "play-in" game with vested interest. I still think that one of these days, even though No. 16 seeds are 0-92 all-time versus No. 1 seeds, one of these "little guys" will knock off Goliath and make tournament history. So, I'm going to watch Coppin State take on Mount St. Mary's and hope the winner can shock the world by defeating North Carolina. Of course, either of the two teams will lose to the Tar Heels by at least 30 points, but we can always dream the big dreams.
Looking toward the first round, let's focus on three "must-sees":
1. Omaha, Nebraska- Midwest Region- Thursday, 03/20/08- 6:10 PM tip-off- (6) USC (21-11)vs. (11) Kansas State (20-11)
This game possesses national intrigue. Why? The answer is simple. Star power. It's the Wildcats' Michael Beasley, a Player of the Year candidate (it's a two-horse race between "The Beas" and UNC's Tyler Hansbrough) vs. the Trojans' O.J. Mayo. Freshman versus freshman. Blue-chipper versus blue-chipper. Plus, you throw in K-State's Bill Walker, and you have three guys on the floor who all have great shots at becoming contributors if not standouts at the NBA level. Beasley averages 26.5 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. In a word, ridiculous. Walker scores 15.8 per game. Meanwhile, O.J. Mayo is averaging 20.8 ppg. Also, as Iowans know, USC head coach Tim Floyd used to be the head man at Iowa State, taking the Cyclones as far as the Sweet 16. His coaching ability is unquestioned. With those around the Hawkeye State being so familiar with him, this adds yet another facet to an already entertaining match-up. Again, you'll hate yourself for quite a while if you don't carve some time out of your Thursday night to take this one in.
2. Raleigh, North Carolina- Midwest Region- Friday, 03/21/08- 11:25 AM tip-off- (7) Gonzaga (25-7) vs. (10) Davidson (26-6)
The nation's perennial tourney "darling" versus "this year's George Mason." The Bulldogs had another fine season under one of the nation's best coaches, Mark Few. They won the West Coast Conference regular season crown with a 13-1 record, finishing one game ahead of outstanding St. Mary's in the league race. But, their opponent really takes this game's buzz to the next level. The Davidson Wildcats have won 24 consecutive games coming in, and went toe to toe with two of the nation's big boys early in the season without so much as batting an eye. On November 14th at now No. 1 North Carolina's "Dean Dome," Davidson hounded, irritated, and frustrated the Tar Heels on their home floor before finally falling 72-68 in a hotly contested battle. Then, on December 1st, the Wildcats marched into Cameron Indoor Stadium, home of the now No. 9 vaunted Duke Blue Devils, and stayed with Coach K's team the entire way before finally coming up just short, 79-73. As Dickie V would say, "This team can flat out play." Don't be surprised if Davidson beats Gonzaga and gives Big East regular season champion Georgetown a war before finally succumbing in the second round.
3. Tampa, Florida- West Region- Friday, 03/21/08- 11:30 AM tip-off- (5) Drake (28-4) vs. (12) Western Kentucky (27-6)
First-year head coach Keno Davis and his Drake Bulldogs continue to rake in awards after their amazing 2007-2008 run that culminated in a 28-4 record, the first MVC regular season crown since 1971, the school's first-ever MVC Tournament crown, and the school's first NCAA Tournament berth since 1971. Davis has already won a couple different coaching honors and is one of four finalists for the Naismith Coach of the Year Award. Adam Emmenecker and Josh Young are first-team All-MVC picks, etc., etc. Incredible stuff from a team that was picked during the preseason to finish 9th in a 10-team league race and just last year experienced its first winning season in the last 20. So, Cinderella very well may have been a Bulldog, but that Bulldog will have a tough customer on his hands in the first round. The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are 27-6 and took home the regular season and tourney titles in the Sun Belt Conference. Coach Darrin Horn is one of the nation's best "unknown coaches," and Courtney Lee (20.4 ppg) and Tyrone Brazelton (13.3 ppg) combine to comprise one of the nation's best one-two punches, that nobody knows about. A stern test for the boys from Des Moines, and you hope their outstanding coaching, leadership (primarily from Emmenecker), and skill (specifically speaking of Josh Young (15.8 ppg) and Leonard Houston (14.0 ppg)) will enable them to prevail, but that is anything but a foregone conclusion against the tourney's best 12-seed. If you're a true basketball junkie, especially residing anywhere in the state of Iowa, you know you'll be locked in on this hardwood battle.
4. (YES, I KNOW THAT I SAID THREE, BUT I LIED)- Anaheim, California- South Region- Thursday, 03/20/08- 1:30 PM tip-off- (6) Marquette (24-9) vs. (11) Kentucky (18-12)
Why do you have to be interested in this match-up, you ask? I'll tell you why. It includes my beloved alma mater, Marquette University. That's more than enough of a good reason, on top of the fact that because the game involves my alma mater, I've given you nothing less than a "must-watch" order. On top of those reasons, I assume that you'd like to see the Golden Eagles win their first of six in-a-row on the way to the school's second national championship (1977, God love ya Al McGuire!). Truthfully, I'm trying to be considerate here. I'm granting you the opportunity to remember and be a part of history!
Enjoy the Tournament one and all. This is nothing less than the avid sports fan's second coming of Christmas.
For more than you ever wanted to know about the 2008 NCAA Tournament, turn to CBS Sports via http://www.cbs.sportsline.com/.
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