UPDATE: UNVELIEVEABLE! KANSAS, THE OVERALL NUMBER ONE SEED AND VILLANOVA, A TWO SEED,WERE DEFEATED AND WILL NOT EVEN MAKE IT OUT OF THE SECOND ROUND. IS THIS NOT THE SEASON IN A NUTSHELL!

East Regional

HUSKIES UPSET LOBOS Washington has picked the right time to peak. They handled the third seeded New Mexico Lobos, 82-64. This game was never in doubt. The Huskies win streak continued as they won their 9th straight. They move on and will face the winner of the West Virginia-Missouri winner. Washington was led by Quincy Poindexter's 18 points.

CATS ROLL Kentucky put it into another gear and left Wake Forest in the dust. It wasn't even competitive after around midway through the first half. Kentucky won the game 90-60. Kentucky had four players in double figures led by Darius Millers' 20 points and 9 rebounds. It was an impressive performance by the young Wildcat team. Kentucky will await the winner of Wisconsin-Cornell.

South Regional

GAEL FORCE WINS St. Mary's defeated Villanova by a score of 75-68, bumping out the @2 seed in the South and busting brackets coast to coast. And it was no fluke! St. Marys got a huge game from Omar Samhan who poured in 32 points and pulled down 7 rebounds. They kept Scottie Reynolds in check all game, he finished with 8 points. Duke must be smiling ear to ear as their bracket continues to crumble right before them.

(Photo Courtesy of Icon SMI)
Omar Samhan led St.Mary's to upset of Villanova

BAYLOR BEATS MONARCHS Baylor defeated Old Dominion 76-68 and the Bears will move on to the Sweet 16. Until this tournament, they had not won an NCAA Tournament game in 60 years. Now they havae won two and given the way the brackets are crumbling, there is no reason they could not continue. They will face St. Mary's in the next round. The Bears were led by LaceDarius Dunn's 26 points.

Midwest Regional

TENNESSEE ADVANCES Tennessee defeated Ohio and have advanced to the Sweet 16. They finally shook a very feisty Bobcats team, 83-68. The Vols will move on to play the winner of Ohio State-Georgia Tech. J.P. Prince led the Vols again with 18 points in the win. Tennessee is the first SEC team to advance to the round of 16.

SHOCKER Overall number one seed, Kansas has fallen to Northern Iowa in a shocker! The Final Score was 69-67. They just would not be denied. They hit every big shot, every big free throw and the Jayhawks could not overcome their lead. The Panthers are on to the Sweet 16 where they will have a more than legitimate chance to make it to the Regional Finals. Ali Farokhmanesh led Northern Iowa with 16 points.

Jordan Eglseder and Norther Iowa shock Kansas

West Regional

BUTLER DID IT AGAIN Butler held on to defeat Murray State 54-52 to advance to the Sweet 16. The Racers had a chance to tie or win with seconds to go but could not get a shot off. It was a great defensive effort on the part of both teams today. Butler had nice balance with 4 scorers in double figures. Butler will face either top seeded, Syracuse or Gonzaga in the next round.

K-STATE TO SWEET 16 Kansas State got 34 points from Jacob Pullen to lead the Wildcats past Brigham Young and into the Sweet 16. K-State took the lead late in the first half and never gave it back. The Wildcats will face the winner of Xavier-Pittsburgh who tangle on Sunday.

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East Regional

MOUNTAINEERS ROLL After falling down by 10 early, West Virginia found it's rhythm and never lookded back defeating Morgan State by a score of 77-50. Bob Huggins team was lead by Kevin Smith and Devin Ebanks who had 17 and 16 points respectively. West Virginia fill face Missouri in the second round.

BIG RED CRUSH Cornell has defeated Temple by a score of 78-65 in a game that was never really in doubt. Cornell played with precision and shot the ball extremely well against a decent defensive team. They finished, shooting 58 percent from the field. Cornell could have easily been a higher seed, they can play with anyone and have proven that. Tough opening round matchup for the 4th seed, Temple. The Big Red will face Wisconsin on Sunday.

Louis Dale led the Big Red past Temple

MIZZOU MOVES ON Missouri gained control of the game and Clemson could never overcome their lead and the Tigers moved on with an 86-78 win. They will face West Virginia in the next round. Kim English led Missouri with 20 points. The loss ends an up and down season for Clemson and thre career of Trevor Booker.

BADGERS IN A NAIL BITER Wisconsin could never shake Wofford but found a way to survive and advance. These are two exception defensive teams and the score reflected that. The final was 53-49. The Badgers will face Cornell on Sunday.

South Regional

DUKE DOMINATES The Blue Devils had no problems with an outmanned Arkansas-Pine Bluff team. Duke won going away, 73-44. The Blue Devils await the winner of the California-Louisville matchup which promises to be a very good matchup in the second round. Kyle Singler led the Blue Devils with 22 points and 10 rebounds.

CAL ON TO SECOND ROUNF California led Louisville from start to finish and never really allowed the Cardinals to get within striking distance. They defeated Rick Pitino's squad 77-62 and will face Duke on Sunday.

BOILING OVER Purdue came out in the second half on a 13 to take control of the game and never relinquished the lead again. They defeated a very solid Siena team 72-64. The Boilermakers are forced to play without Robbie Hummel the rest of the season and have not played well since his injury. They seem to be getting some rhythm without one of their team leaders. Purdue got a monster game from JaJuan Johnson who finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds.

AGGIES ADVANCE Texas A&M was able to keep Utah State at arms length throughout the game and went on to a 69-53 victory. They were led by Khris Middleton's 19 points. The Aggies will move on to a good matchup with Purdue. That will be a 4 and 5 seed matchup.

Midwest Regional

BUCKEYES BEAT UCSB Ohio State tookout Cal-Santa Barbara in a workmanlike effort, 68-51. The game was never in doubt and the Buckeyes move on to the second round of the tournament. Jon Diebler led Ohio State with 23 points. OSU is playing as well as any team in the Country.

SPARTANS SUCCEED Michigan State held off New Mexico State to advance to the second round, 70-67. NMSU came back from a big deficit to make the game interesting. The Spartans had a big game from Kalin Lucas who poured in 25 points.

TERPS TO MOVE ON Maryland defeated Houston by a score of 89-77 and will advance to face Tom Izzo's Michigan State team. Maryland played a solid game tonight with a lot of balance. Jordan Williams was a work horse on Friday. He put in 16 points and pulled down 15 rebounds. Sunday's matchup pits to coaches who have won National Champions in Gary Williams and Tom Izzo.

JACKETS STING Georgia Tech came from behind to defeat Oklahoma State, 64-59. This was a good win for the Yellow Jackets who have been very inconsistent despite being blessed with loads of talent. The Ramblin' Wreck seemed to put it together in the ACC Tournament. Maybe things have finally jelled for this team. Gani Lawallead Georgia Tech with 14 points and 6 rebounds in the win.

West Regional

CUSE MOVES ON Syracuse flexed their muscle early on and set the tempo for the game. They easily defeated Vermont 79-56. The Top seed will face Gonzaga in a very tough second round matchup. The Orange were led by Wesley Johnson's 18 points and 6 rebounds.

ZAGS WIN Gonzaga held on to defeat Florida State who made a run in the second half, 67-60. I am still puzzled as to how this Zags team is an 8 seed which likely pits them against Syracuse in the second round. Matt Bouldin led Gonzaga with 17 points, 8 rebounds in the win.

XAVIER ADVANCES The Muskateers got 28 points from Jordan Crawford to lead Xavier past Minnesota by a score of 65-54. Will this be Tubby Smith's last game as head coach of Minnesota? He has been rumored to have interest in the Auburn vacancy. Xavier will await the winner of the Pittsburgh-Oakland matchup.

PITT PUSHES ON Pittsburgh has defeated 89-66 to advance to the second round in the West Region. They will face 6th seeded Xavier, on Sunday. Pitt was led by a balanced attack with 6 players in double figures. Their defense held Oakland to 19% shooting from behind the arch.


(photo courtesy of: Newswire photo by Danielle Meiners)
Jordan Crawford led X past Minnesota

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Michael Jordan was introduced as the Majority Owner of the Charlotte Bobcats on Thursday. It created an instant buzz in the Queen City as one of North Carolina's own, returned home.

Jordan said all of the right things in his press conference. He emphasized time and again, that he wanted to put the best entertainment product together and on the court for the City of Charlotte. He stated that he was in it for the long haul and was determined to get this team, not just to the playoffs, but to win an NBA Championship. He answered questions about whether he would move to Charlotte by saying that he would buy a home here but his kids were still in Chicago so he will spend time there as well but will be very hands on in Charlotte and the the Bobcats will be a top priority. He implied that some day he hoped to get his whole family involved with the organization. He seemed genuinely sincere about making the Charlotte Bobcats a success and reminded reporters that he has money at stake so he will be committed. Those are things that Charlotteans longed to hear after Bob Johnson never embraced the community and was an absentee owner.

Time will tell as to how much time Jordan will be around the team but you have to give him credit for this:

-Since Jordan has been affiliated with the team, they have improved each year.

-It was Jordan who suggested and convinced Larry Brown to commit to coaching the team. That has obviously been a successful move.

-Jordan helped pull the trigger to acquire Stephen Jackson, which has turned out to be a very positive trade.

-The team has been proactive trading Jason Richardson and others to acquire pieces to shape the team in the mold that has them on the cusp of a playoff spot and improving.

Although the the team has not drafted particularly well, they have moved players successfully. And Jordan deserves credit for a lot of that. And while he has been criticized for making some bad moves in the past, Jordan acknowledged that he was still learning and would lean on owners like Jerry Reinsdorf and even Bob Johnson when needed.

(Video Via WCNC)
Michael Jordan, the new Majority Owner of the Charlotte Bobcats.
And the first former player to become Majority Owner of an NBA Team

I believe the Bobcats are on the right path back. Their attendance is up 10 percent, they are winning and the sting of losing the Hornets to New Orleans and the taste that left, is slowly fading away. As this team continues to win, the buzz will come back. Jordan advised that he plans to embrace the community and with that should come more opportunities for families to be enticed into the arena. That is something that Bob Johnson lacked, tremendously.

So, Michael is back. Back to the City his brother lives in. Back to the City his Mother lived in for quite some time. Back to the State he grew up in and made his name. Back to the Tarheel State. Seems like the perfect fit if he is sincerely committed. So far, so good but the proof will be in the pudding. Will be very interesting to see what direction this team goes from here.

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UPDATE: IT HAS BEEN A VERY COMPETITVE DAY ONE OF THE TOURNAMENT. EARLY ON, THE FIRST FOUR FINALS INCLUDED, ONE GAME GOING TO OVERTIME, ANOTHER TO DOUBLE OVERTIME AND THE NEXT TWO GAMES SEPARATED BY 1 POINT EACH, ONE BEING A BUZZER BEATER. THREE SEEDED GEORGETOWN, FELL TO OHIO IN NIGHT PLAY. BOTH NUMBER ONE SEEDS (KENTUCKY, KANSAS) AND BOTH NUMBER TWO SEEDS (VILLANOVA, KANSAS STATE) ADVANCED ON THURSDAY. IF TODAY IS A BELLWETHER, WE ARE IN STORE FOR A VERY EXCITING NCAA TOURNAMENT. GREAT GAMES.

East Regional

WILDCATS ROLL Top Seed, Kentucky controlled things from start to finish and defeated East Tennessee State by a score of 100-71 and will advance to the second round of the tournament. They will meet Wake Forest who defeated Texas in overtime. The Wildcats were led by Eric Bledsoe's 26 points.

LOBOS MOVE ON New Mexico held on to defeat Montana 62-57 over the Grizzlies of Montana. New Mexico could not shake Montana who was in it all the way to the end but the 3 seed advanced and will take on 11th seed, Washington on Saturday. Steve Alford's team was led by Roman Martinez's 19 points.

WAKE IN A THRILLER Ish Smith hit a jump shot with just over a second left in overtime to push Wake Forest past Texas and into the second round of the tournament. In a tough, physical game that went back and forth, it took an overtime session to determine the outcome. Texas jumped out to a quick lead in overtime but Wake battled back and benefitted from some untimely missed free throws by the Longhorns. The Deacons will take on top seeded Kentucky, in what has a chance to be an interesting game.

Ish Smith hit the game winner against Texas

HUSKIES SURVIVE AND ADVANCE Washington scored with 1.7 left in the game to take a 80-78 lead against Marquette. The Golden Eagles were unable to score on the other end and the Huskies advanced by 2. Both teams traded clutch three points to see the lead tilt back and forth. Isaiah Thomas leads the Huskies with 19 points while Lazar Hayward has 20 for Marquette, in a very good ball game.

South Regional

IRISH UPSET It did not take long for this NCAA Tournament to get thrown into a frenzy. One day after St.Patrick's Day, Old Dominion held Luke Harangody to 2 points and upset Notre Dame 51-50. It was an 11 seed upsetting a 6 seed. The Monarchs of the Colonial Conference have advanced to meet the winner of Baylor and Sam Houston State game.

BEARS BREAK DROUGHT Third Seeded, Baylor defeated Sam Houston State 68-59 and opened up a game that was very tight in the closing minutes. The Bears broke a 60 year drought winning their first NCAA Tournament game since 1950. They will meet Old Dominion in the second round.

VILLANOVA SURVIVES SCARE Villanov finally took care of a pesky Robert Morris team who fought and fought but came up short by a score of 73-70 and the number 2 seed will move on. Robert Morris led most of the way and had a chance at a three pointer to tie the game at the buzzer in overtime, but the shot fell off. Villanova started the game without Scottie Reynolds who was benched the first 4 minutes and change for team rules violations. He never really looked himself. But the Wildcats will advance and face the winner of St. Marys vs. Richmond.

Karon Abraham and Robert Morris came up just short against
Villanova

GAELS WARNING St. Mary's opened up what was a tight game and defeated Richmond 80-71 to advance to the second round of the tournament. The Gaels will move on to play second seeded, Villanova. Omar Samhan led St. Mary's with 29 points and 11 rebounds.

Omar Samhan lead the Gaels to the second round

Midwest Regional

JAYHAWKS SHAKE SCRAPPY LEHIGH Overall number one seeded, Kansas finally pulled away from a stingy Lehigh squad to advance with a 90-74 victory. The Jayhawks were led by Marcus Morris who finished with 22 points and 9 rebounds. Kansas will take on Northern Iowa on Saturday.

VOLS ADVANCE Tennessee managed to hold on and edge San Diego State 62-59. Steve Fisher's squad fought back and took the lead but the Vols were able to hit the key shots down the stretch. They will face upset minded Ohio, on Saturday.

NORTHERN IOWA ADVANCES Northern Iowa defeated UNLV by a score of 69-66. Ali Farokhmanesh hit his 5th three pointer of the game with just over 4 seconds left to put Northern Iowa ahead 69-66. UNLV had 1.6 seconds to tie with a three but were unable to deliver. UNI will likely go on to face Kansas.

OHIO UPSETS G'TOWN Ohio took the lead over Georgetown with 9:35 left in the first half and never relinquished that lead defeating the Hoyas, 97-83 in a shocker. The 3 seed falls to the 14 seed who used the three point shot to propel them to victory. The Bobcats were 13 for 23 from three point land. The Bobcats were lead by Armon Bassetts 32 points and will go on to face either Tennessee or San Diego State.

Ohio's Armon Bassett

West Regional

BYU SURVIVES Brigham Young has advanced by defeating Florida 99-92 in what was a well played, hard fought game that took two overtimes to settle. Florida had two chances to win, in regulation and the first overtime. But it was the Cougars who hit all the big shots in the second overtime period. The Cougars will go on to face the winner of the Kansas State-North Texas winner.

THE RACERS WIN A BUZZER BEATER Murray State upset 4th seeded Vanderbilt with a buzzer beater as time expired. Danero Thomas calmly knocked down a 12 footer as time expired. The Racers will face the winner of the UTEP-Butler Game.

WILDCATS CRUISE Kansas State had no trouble in their first round game. They are cruised against North Texas by a score of 82-62 in their first round game. They will meet Brigham Young on Saturday in what promises to be a competitive game against two teams who have been in the top 15 for much of the year.

THE BUTLER DID IT The Butler bulldogs defeated UTEP by a score of 77-59 and will move on to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Butler was a 5 seed, escaping the dreaded 5-12 upset. But they played methodical and look to be a factor as the tournament advances. They will meet Murray State on Saturday.

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West Regional

This region is another very competitive region. There are a lot of early intriguing matchups. Another very tough region to pick. I do like Syracuse to get by Vermont, but dont expect the Catamounts to lay down in this one. I expect this to be a competitive game most of the way. But top seeded, Syracuse would be rewarded with the winner of Gonzaga-Florida State. I have to like Gonzaga in this one. They are experienced, they are well coached and they have been here before. The Zags have spent most of the season in the Top 20 and I believe they are definitely underseeded. In my opinion, they are better than an 8 seed. I expect them to get by the Seminoles. That brings us to a Syracuse-Gonzaga matchup which is very hard to pick. I have to like the Orangemen but I look at this one as a toss up. If Gonzaga plays to their capabilities, they can certainly win this game. Should be one of the best matchups in the tournament. I am going to go with Syracuse in a tight one.

UTEP has been a team I have had an eye on for quite some time. They play Butler in a 5-12 seed matchup. Butler is very experienced and a good basketball team but I like UTEP to spring the upset. I have picked Vanderbilt to get by Murray State and I believe the Miners present a matchup problem for the Commodores. They are physical, athletic and have firepower. If you are looking for a sleeper, I have UTEP making it to the Sweet 16.

Another very good matchup is Xavier vs. Minnesota. Tubby Smith's team has played very well down the stretch of the season. Despite running into a buzzsaw in Ohio State in the Big 10 Final, the Gophers defense keeps them into games. Xavier's style of play keeps this one close. I just believe the Muskateers will find a way to get by Minnesota and face Pittsburgh, who should get by Oakland. I like Xavier to get by Pittsburgh and advance to the Sweet 16.

BYU has been consistent throughout the season and the Florida Gators have not. The Gators are rebuilding and despite the fact that they are well coached, I think the Cougars will be able to score the basketball, particularly outside. They are one of the best three point shooting teams in the Country. They should face Kansas State, who should get by North Texas rather easily. That creates a tough matchup of K-State vs. BYU. This is a hard one to pick. I like the Wildcats balanced scoring and they can get up and down the court. They are athletic and high scoring. This could be a fun game but I like Kansas State to get by and face Xavier.

Will Jim Boeheim and the Orange get back to the Final Four?

I think Syracuse's zone will neutralize UTEP and the Orange will end the Miners season and advance to play Kansas State. I believe K-State has too much balance and scoring for Xavier. Even though the Muskateers play good defense and this has the potential to be a very entertaining game which could go either way, I like Kansas State. In a toss up, I like Syracuse to advance to the Final Four. This one would be a bit of a contrast in styles but again, it is Syracuse's zone defense that would cause Kansas State problems. But like so may other games in this tournament, there is a fine line as so many games are toss ups to me. This would go in that category.

My prediction: Syracuse

So I have three Big East teams and one Big 12 team in the Final Four. I believe that Kansas is just too good for Syracuse and West Virginia finds a way past Villanova, where it will be Kansas cutting down the nets and singing "One shining Moment", as they defeat West Virginia for the NCAA National Championship.

Stay tuned..it all gets under way today (Even though we have had the play in game). Check with www.thesmokingpen.com for updates throughout the tournament.

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