NoMad Blogger

So class, what did we learn yesterday? That nothing is ever certain, and even the mighty can fall. All this from a few basketball games. Yes. It’s March.

I had a long talk with my dad this morning about the Big East teams. His exact words: “everyone said, ‘the Big East is so great. The best league in the country.’ They were one point away from having no one win yesterday.” So astute, if not completely accurate. And can we talk about Wake Forest beating Texas? I didn’t even think Wake should be in the tournament, although, that is how an 8-9 match-up should play out. The Washington-Marquette game was probably the best I got to watch yesterday, so even though I had Marquette winning two games, I can’t hate on Washington. And if you try to tell me you picked Ohio over Georgetown, I’m going to punch you right in the face.

Today promises to be nothing short of yesterday, and again, I wish I could be at every single game. We tip-off today at 12:15 p.m. EST with Morgan St. and West Virginia. I have West Virginia winning it all, and as messed up as my bracket is today, my entire tournament is resting on the Mountaineers.

I also have two big upsets picked for today: Cornell over Temple and Siena over Purdue. I think Hubert Davis picked Cornell this morning on Sportscenter, so if it doesn’t happen we can commiserate together. Our two number one seeds, Syracuse and Duke, tip-off in prime time.

Everybody ready? It’s gonna be another great day of basketball.

Scoreboard: Friday, March 19

Update, 10:39 a.m. EST: FACT: If at least three games are decided by three or fewer points, 2010 will set a record for most games decided by three or fewer points since the field expanded to 64 in 1985. And with two more overtime games, 2010 will set a record for most OT games in the first round since the field expanded.

FACT: All the upsets have caused havoc in ESPN’s Tournament Challenge, where just 56 perfect brackets remain out of the 4.8 million entries. Georgetown’s loss ruined many brackets — 97.6 percent of all brackets had Georgetown advancing past Ohio, and 41.8 percent had the Hoyas in the Elite 8.

FACTS courtesy of ESPN

Update, 12:14 p.m. EST: Take me home country roads! Let’s go WVU!!

Update, 12:23 p.m. EST: West Virginia down 10 early, but I still have faith.

Update, 12:54 p.m. EST: West Virginia takes a 5-point lead over Morgan St.; Xavier-Minnesota is a 2-point game; Cornell up 11 on Temple.

Update, 1:02 p.m. EST: In 24 hours I’ll be watching the second round games in Providence. I’m not crafty enough to convey my excitement in words. There is nothing greater than the exclamation point.

Update, 1:09 p.m. EST: WVU takes an 11-point lead into the locker room at half time; Xavier up 1; Cornell up 7.

Update, 1:46 p.m. EST: WVU now running past Morgan St., 56-32; Xavier up 4 early in the second half; Cornell up 6.

Update, 2:34 p.m. EST: WVU, Xavier and Cornell all win. So far, so good. I would really love Siena to upset Purdue.

Update, 3:20 p.m. EST: Siena is up three at halftime, but Clemson is up 7. Come on Mizzou!

Update, 3:43 p.m. EST: Purdue as gone ahead by 10. Come on Siena! Pretend you’re playing at home!!

Update, 4:15 p.m. EST: Purdue up 11 on Siena, but I still think the Saints can pull it out. Clemson-Missouri still close with 14 minutes left to go, and don’t forget Wisconsin-Wofford, tied with 16 minutes left.

Update, 4:26 p.m. EST: Siena cuts it to 5 3! Missouri takes the lead!

Update, 4:35 p.m. EST: I appreciate the effort by Siena. Nice try.

Update, 4:56 p.m. EST: Wofford-Wisconsin still VERY close with 2 minutes left.

Update, 5:06 p.m. EST: Missouri-Clemson and Wofford-Wisconsin STILL close with SECONDS left.

Update, 5:08 p.m. EST: Thanks Mizzou – I needed that win! And to you as well Wisconsin.

Update, 5:13 p.m. EST: It could get a little dicey for me in these night games. But all in all I’m pretty pleased with the day. Homeward bound folks. See you on the flip side.

Update, 9:23 p.m. EST: I’m really conflicted by this GT-OK St. game, because I love Paul Hewitt and his pinstripe blazers. But I have Oklahoma St. in my bracket.

Update, 9:55 p.m. EST: Why is everyone getting punched in the “you-know-where”? It’s just mean and weird.

So I know I’ve mentioned this a few times (ok, in every other post), but this is REALLY and TRULY my favorite time of year. I can’t tell you how excited I get when CBS plays their NCAA music, and the clear scoreboard rotates the day’s score updates at the top of the screen.

When I was in college, I was a manager for the men’s basketball team, and I’m not gonna lie, it was the greatest four years of my life. My senior year, Boston College’s first year in the ACC, we went to the Sweet Sixteen, holding off a tough Pacific team in double overtime, and beating Montana two days later. But, we ended up losing to Villanova on a last-second goal-tending call in a tough battle in Minneapolis. While I’ve come to terms with the fact that the call was right, I still cry every time I think about it. March is emotional.

These same kinds of memories are starting today when Florida takes on BYU at 12:20 p.m. EST. I can’t wait for the buzzer beaters (ala Valpo’s Bryce Drew) and the upsets (Vermont over Syracuse/Bucknell over Kansas, same day, 2005); the Cinderella teams (think George Mason) and the triumphant cutting-down of the nets.

Keep checking NoMad blogger for game scores and updates, if you’re not among the lucky few who can catch the action live. Good luck to all the teams. And remember, if it’s March, its Madness.

Scoreboard: Thursday, March 18

Update, 12:20 p.m. EST: Here we go!

Update, 12:35 p.m. EST: I have BYU, ND and Nova in these first games.

Update, 1:35 p.m. EST: BYU up on Florida, 43-38; Notre Dame up one on Old Dominion; Villanova trailing Robert Morris by 6 at the half.

Update, 2 p.m. EST: ALL of these games are so close! Wish I was at EVERY single one!

Update, 2:10 p.m. EST: Um, I really need Notre Dame and Villanova to pull ahead. Especially, Nova. They’re in my final four.

Update, 2:21 p.m. EST: I can feel my bracket busting.

Update, 2:26 p.m. EST: ND falls to ODU; Nova still down to Robert Morris; Florida/BYU has headed into OVA-time!

Update, 2:43 p.m. EST: Scratch that. DOUBLE overtime for FL/BYU; BYU up by two; Nova/Robert Morris tied with a minute left to go.

Update, 2:53 p.m. EST: Villanova able to catch up, Wildcats take Robert Morris into overtime.

Update, 3 p.m. EST: BYU overtakes Florida is second OT.

Update, 3:08 p.m. EST: Robert Morris cuts Nova’s lead to 1 in OT.

Update, 3:16 p.m. EST: Villanova wins! Thank God! 73-70.

Update, 3:17 p.m. EST: Great first go-around everyone. Hit the showers and grab some water. We’ll be back in a few. Hint: Murry St. has a slight lead on Vandy late in the first half.

Update, 3:55 p.m. EST: Ok, so in these next set of games I have Vandy, Baylor, KSU and St. Mary’s. Murray St. is up on Vandy with 14:48 left to go in the second half; Sam Houston St. is up 1 on Baylor at halftime; Kansas St. is beating North Texas by three; St. Mary’s is down three to Richmond.

Update, 3:57 p.m. EST: Also, its gotten to the point where I can no longer sit at my desk. I am literally standing in my cubical, checking game updates and working at the same time.

Update, 4:05 p.m. EST: Kansas St. may have just taken the largest lead of the day at 10. 12.

Update, 4:30 p.m. EST: Vanderbilt down 2 with 2 minutes left; Baylor-Sam Houston tied; KSU dominating North Texas at the half; Richmond leading St. Mary’s by 4 late in the first.

Update, 4:40 p.m. EST: Vanderbilt ties game goes ahead with 12 seconds left!

Update, 4:45 p.m. EST: Vanderbilt loses a heartbreaker as Murray St. makes two-point bucket with 2 seconds left in the game to go ahead.

Update, 4:53 p.m. EST: Baylor pulls ahead by 8 with a minute left.

Update, 5 p.m. EST: Baylor eeks out a win against Sam Houston St., 68-59.

Update, 5:13 p.m. EST: St. Mary’s pulls ahead by 8.

Update, 5:21 p.m. EST: Time to leave work. But I’ll be back. KSU is manhandling North Texas; St. Mary’s is now up 12 with 8 minutes left to play; and Butler’s down three early to UTEP (I have Butler, everyone else in America has UTEP).

Update, 8:01 p.m. EST: Thought I’d be able to update from my bberry but no dice. But I’m back now. So what’s transpired in my absence? St. Mary’s, Butler and Kansas St. all pulled out wins. (Which is great for me.) Kentucky is having an easy go of it so far vs. E. Tenn St. And N. Iowa-UNLV is close at the end of the first. I really need Georgetown to start playing better, as they’re down 13 to Ohion (OHIO!), and Washington has an early lead on Marquette. In other news, I got my hair colored tonight. Just so you know I left you for a good cause.

Update, 8:30 p.m. EST: I’m not even going to discuss the Kentucky game because its such a debacle. Northern Iowa-UNLV and Washington-Marquette could be the makings of two great games. And seriously Georgetown, seriously.

Update, 8:52 p.m. EST: The Georgetown game was so bad CBS switched over to No Iowa-UNLV. Not that we can totally blame GTown, this game is close.

Update, 9 p.m. EST: I think the momentum is turning No Iowa’s way!

Update, 9:13 p.m. EST: Oh my goodness! Georgetown pulls within 9 7!

Update, 9:25 p.m. EST: Kentucky will take the most commanding win of the day so far, beating E. Tenn St. by 29.

Update, 9:34 p.m. EST: This Georgetown loss makes me sad. But Northern Iowa gets a W for my bracket.

Update, 9:34 p.m. EST: The San Jose crowd is going CRAZY for Washington, who just went ahead by 1.

Update, 9:57 p.m. EST: I didn’t realize how far behind ESPN.com was with their score updates. My apologies.

Update, 10:01 p.m. EST: Washington with a bucket to go ahead 2 with 1.7 seconds left!!!!!!!

Update, 10:06 p.m. EST: Marquette gets a good shot off but can’t sink it. Washington wins. I have no idea what this does for my bracket.

Update, 10:08 p.m. EST: I think that’s all from me tonight. My bracket took a hit, and its only the first day! Back at ’em tomorrow. Happy March Madness everyone!