You Can't Spell "Laugh" twice without HAHA
By John Scognamiglio
After an amazing weekend of college basketball, we are finally down to sixteen teams. Buzzer beaters and upsets resounded in the first weekend. Now that the dust has settled let's look at the conferences represented:
ACC: 2 teams (Duke, Boston College)
Big East: 4 teams (Connecticut, Villanova, West Virginia, Georgetown)
SEC: 2 teams (Florida, Louisiana State)
Big 12: 1 team (Texas)
Pac 10: 2 teams (UCLA, Washington)
WCC: 1 team (Gonzaga)
Conference USA: 1 team (Memphis)
CAA: 1 team (George Mason)
MVC: 2 teams (Wichita State, Bradley)
Oh my god!! Wait, the world is coming to an end. The Missouri Valley and CAA have the same number of teams in the Sweet 16 as the ACC and Big 12. Someone go feed Billy Packer oxygen. As Will Hunting would say, "How do you like dem apples?"
This was a very good year for the mid-majors and I don't mean to toot the Valley's horn again, but look at the road Wichita State and Bradley went through to get to the Sweet 16. Wichita State went through the most spoilerific team from the Big East (Seton Hall) and then dismantled the regular season SEC East Division Champions (Tennessee). Bradley took down Big 12 tournament champion Kansas and then Big East power Pittsburgh to get to the round of 16. The Valley went .500 against the Big East, with Northern Iowa losing to Sweet 16 member Georgetown and Southern Illinois losing to Sweet 16 member West Virginia.
Let's not forget about CAA member George Mason. They entered the tournament on a dubious note. As you may remember, Tony Skinn, one of the team's top players, received a one-game suspension for hitting an opposing player in the team's CAA semifinal loss to Hofstra. Well, that one game was the opening round game against Michigan State. The team performed admirably, taking down Michigan State 75-65. Well, Skinn returned today against North Carolina and had eight points coming off the bench in George Mason's 65-50 victory.
The mid-majors are doing well this year and Doug Elgin, commissioner of the Valley, along with Greg Littlepage are having big smiles on their faces. If this trend continues, Packer and his colleague Jim Nantz may be forced to eat their words, considering that one matchup will be Wichita State against George Mason. That means one mid major will be an Elite 8 team. Oh the humanity.
If the first two rounds were this fun, I can't wait till this coming weekend.
After an amazing weekend of college basketball, we are finally down to sixteen teams. Buzzer beaters and upsets resounded in the first weekend. Now that the dust has settled let's look at the conferences represented:
ACC: 2 teams (Duke, Boston College)
Big East: 4 teams (Connecticut, Villanova, West Virginia, Georgetown)
SEC: 2 teams (Florida, Louisiana State)
Big 12: 1 team (Texas)
Pac 10: 2 teams (UCLA, Washington)
WCC: 1 team (Gonzaga)
Conference USA: 1 team (Memphis)
CAA: 1 team (George Mason)
MVC: 2 teams (Wichita State, Bradley)
Oh my god!! Wait, the world is coming to an end. The Missouri Valley and CAA have the same number of teams in the Sweet 16 as the ACC and Big 12. Someone go feed Billy Packer oxygen. As Will Hunting would say, "How do you like dem apples?"
This was a very good year for the mid-majors and I don't mean to toot the Valley's horn again, but look at the road Wichita State and Bradley went through to get to the Sweet 16. Wichita State went through the most spoilerific team from the Big East (Seton Hall) and then dismantled the regular season SEC East Division Champions (Tennessee). Bradley took down Big 12 tournament champion Kansas and then Big East power Pittsburgh to get to the round of 16. The Valley went .500 against the Big East, with Northern Iowa losing to Sweet 16 member Georgetown and Southern Illinois losing to Sweet 16 member West Virginia.
Let's not forget about CAA member George Mason. They entered the tournament on a dubious note. As you may remember, Tony Skinn, one of the team's top players, received a one-game suspension for hitting an opposing player in the team's CAA semifinal loss to Hofstra. Well, that one game was the opening round game against Michigan State. The team performed admirably, taking down Michigan State 75-65. Well, Skinn returned today against North Carolina and had eight points coming off the bench in George Mason's 65-50 victory.
The mid-majors are doing well this year and Doug Elgin, commissioner of the Valley, along with Greg Littlepage are having big smiles on their faces. If this trend continues, Packer and his colleague Jim Nantz may be forced to eat their words, considering that one matchup will be Wichita State against George Mason. That means one mid major will be an Elite 8 team. Oh the humanity.
If the first two rounds were this fun, I can't wait till this coming weekend.
posted by Anonymous at Sunday, March 19, 2006
2 Comments:
As an Illinoisian, and can't help but be excited for Bradley ... however, the tone of my tournament is "pain and anger." Actually being in the States to have watched these teams play before picking might've helped, but c'mon. When four of ESPN College Bball experts pick KU to go to the Final Four, only to see Kansas lose in the first round (again), I can't help but think watching the teams probably wouldn't have made a difference. Luckily, I have 6 elite eight teams remaining, as well as all of my final four. So, hopefully, it will be Zaga v. UCONN in the final with UCONN taking away the title 73-64.
Nice post! And yeah, the best thing about Nantz & Packer's ridicule of Littlepage is that even after they've been shown to be totally and completely wrong, they hardly acknowledge it, at least from what i've heard. sheer hilarity!
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