Jason Haskins's Blog, page 23

Euro 2020: Delivering outstanding action heading into knockout stage

 

Grueling group play in the Euro 2020 tournament has come to an end and the field of 16 for the knockout stage is now set.

Delayed by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and yet still branded Euro 2020 here in 2021, the drama on the pitch has not failed to disappoint. Group play has delivered tension-filled games, with outcomes and seedings being fought over until the last matches on Wednesday.

True to form, there is one upstart team fans are more than willing to throw their support behind.

In 2016, that honor belonged to Gareth Bale and Wales, as Bale led his country to a magical run to the semifinals. A fantastic journey ended there, with a 2-0 loss to eventual champion Portugal. 

This summer, one might hope that luck belongs to the plucky team from Denmark. 

From the opening minutes of their first game, this team was thrown off kilter. Midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed on the field from cardiac arrest, sending a shock to teammates, coaches, and fans alike. (Eriksen has since been discharged from the hospital).

Not surprisingly, the shock was still present throughout the remainder of Denmark's game against Finland, with Denmark losing 1-0. They followed that with an emotional and hard-fought battle with Belgium before ultimately losing 2-1.

In game three, Denmark needed something of a miracle to advance. Legs and hearts weary, Denmark displayed fortitude and, once they broke through with their first goal, marched on by adrenaline. The result? A 4-1 victory over Russia, with new hope and spot secured in the knockout stage thanks to a second-place finish in Group B.

Their reward? A date with 2016 darling Wales.

Bale and company finished in second-place in Group A with a record of 1-1-1, scoring three goals and allowing two in their three matches.

It could have been easy for Denmark to simply call it quits and return home with their heads held high. Now, they will try to keep the magic going, with their heads held even higher and perhaps their hearts lighter (but still full of joy).

Euro 2020: Round of 16 matchups

Action begins on Saturday 6/26 and continues through 6/29 with two matches per day.

In a difficult Group F consisting of France, Germany, Portugal, and Hungary, the defending champions had to sweat out a third-place showing. With a record of 1-1-1 and scoring seven goals, Portugal proved they still have plenty of offense. Cristiano Ronaldo twice scored in the third match, bringing his Euro 2020 total to five and tying the men's international career goal scoring record in the process. 

Portugal will play Belgium, winners of Group B and one of three teams to make it out of group play unscathed.

Italy (Group A) and Netherlands (Group C) were the other two teams. Italy did not concede a goal in their three games while the Netherlands led all teams with eight.

France, runner-up in 2016, won Group F with one win and two draws. They will open round of 16 play by taking on third-place from Group A, Switzerland.

Group play also saw Spain, playing without veteran Sergio Ramos, struggle through the first 225 minutes or so before erupting in the second half of their final game. They ultimately won that game 5-0 and managed to secure second-place in Group E.

Here is the full round of 16 schedule, with predicted winners in bold.

June 26: Wales vs Denmark - noon (ET) and Italy vs Austria - 3 p.m. (ET)

June 27: Netherlands vs Czech Republic - noon (ET) and Belgium vs Portugal - 3 p.m. (ET)

June 28: Croatia vs Spain - noon (ET) and France vs Switzerland - 3 p.m (ET)

June 29: England vs Germany - noon (ET) and Sweden vs Ukraine - 3 p.m (ET)

picture credit: Wikimedia Commons

Summer films of 2001: Sequels, franchises, reboots, and more

 

Sixteen films remain the "Summer Box Office of 2001" tournament, many of which were sequels or later had sequels (and franchises) of their own.Long before the Marvel universe graced audiences with films and television shows on the regular, the 2001 summer box office had its say regarding sequels and world building. Many films were in their franchise infancy, while others were putting the finishing touches on their stories for that era.
Sixteen films have advanced this far, with 11 of them either a sequel, would go on to have a sequel, a reboot or, if you're The Fast and the Furious, the start of an unexpected franchise that's going strong 20 years later.

Sequels, franchises, and remakes had of course been around before 2001. Aside from the horror film genre, and the Land Before Time movies, the world-building films were usually limited to trilogies and the occasional made-for-television offshoots. Three movies in a franchise and the story ended. 
Now? As long as the money continues to roll on, films in a franchise continue to be released, whether it's a continuation of stories with the same characters or new players in a the same cinematic world.
The Fast and the Furious is one of these franchises. It was but a simple film that found a summer release in June of 2001. The budget on that first film was 38 million dollars, money that was made back on the opening weekend in route to a domestic box office gross of 144.5 million. 
Compare that to the most recent entry in the Fast and Furious universe. Hobbs and Shaw  was released in 2019 and was made for an estimated 200 million dollars. At the domestic box office, the film took in nearly 174 million dollars, failing to recoup its budget domestically. (Worldwide, however, the film cleared nearly 760 million.)
While the Fast and Furious franchise is set to release its 10th film, the Planet of the Apes franchise has had nine films and a television series (plus an animated series) since the first film came out in 1968. Tim Burton's version in 2001, starring Mark Wahlberg, turned out to be a one-off in the franchise. 
Three films followed in origin story style, beginning in 2011.
Back in 2001, it looked like Jurassic Park III was going to wrap up the trilogy. And Jeepers Creepers was the first of four films in the franchise.
Two films from that summer later became Broadway musicals. Moulin Rouge had no film sequel but the musical Moulin Rouge! was nominated for 14 Tony Awards for the long-delayed 2020 ceremony. 
Legally Blonde also saw the Broadway treatment, with the original production premiering in 2007 and receiving seven Tony Award nominations. The 2001 film also got a sequel and a third film is tentatively set for release in 2022.
Even Kevin Smith's world-building went into reboot territory (though the title Jay and Silent Bob: Reboot is more directed to the world inside the world). Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back in 2001 was a feature for the two characters who had inhabited Smith's world since Clerks. A total for the characters that now numbers seven film, with sequels to Mallrats and Clerks/Clerks II on the horizon. And this doesn't even count numerous other projects with the characters, including a cameo in Scream 3.
Now that's what I call world-building.
Onto the round of 16 matchups, where other sequels/franchise entries/etc. such as Rush Hour 2, Bridget Jones's Diary, The Mummy Returns, Lara Croft, and Shrek will vie for your favorite film from the summer box office. 

April/May region

An ogre. Bridget Jones. Spectacular, Spectacular. And Brendan Fraser. Only two will advance to the round of eight.

1) Shrek5) Bridget Jones's Diary

6) Moulin Rouge2) The Mummy Returns

June region

Fast cars. Sexy Beasts. Early Hugh Jackman. And a video game adaptation. The race to the round of eight is officially on. 

1) The Fast and the Furious13) Sexy Beast

6) Swordfish2) Lara Croft: Tomb RaiderJuly regionVoting in this region found the higher seeds maintaining the edge, with the top-three seeds all making it to the round of 16. The one lower seed to sneak through was no. 13 Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
The matchups:1) Jurassic Park III13) Hedwig and the Angry Inch3) Legally Blonde2) Planet of the ApesAugust regionNo double-digit seeds advanced to the round of 16 in this region, but I was somewhat surprised Jeepers Creepers defeated The Princess Diaries. Apparently, one must never underestimate the powers of Justin Long. 
The matchups:1) Rush Hour 24) The Others6) Jeepers Creepers7) Jay and Silent Bob Strike BackVoting in the round of 16 takes place on Twitter via @jasonrh_78. Be sure to follow along there and this blog for more!
picture credit: Wikimedia Commons
Part 1 ~ Films of the Summer Box Office TournamentPart 2 ~ Films of 2001: Future Academy Award Winners

Summer movies of 2001: Star power after all these years

 

The summer films of 2001 had plenty of star power, including a slew of performers who would later go on to win Academy Awards. This, plus the round of 32 matchups in the box office office tournament.

In many ways, the summer box office of 2001 belonged to Nicole Kidman. Kidman began things off with the pre-summer release of Moulin Rouge, the Baz Luhrmann directed musical that also starred Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent, and Gary Oldman.

A cool 57 million was made from the domestic box office for this film to go along with a pretty stellar soundtrack and had fans singing throughout the summer. 

For a follow-up, Kidman bookended the summer with the supernatural thriller The Others. Released in August, The Others ended its box office run with a domestic take of 96.5 million dollars.

Kidman was by no means a stranger to the film world when the summer of 2001 rolled around. She'd been working since 1983, , and was a mainstay after the arrival of Dead Calm in 1989. Both films in '01 proved her box office clout and helped launch her career to another level. There was also an Oscar-nomination for her performance in Moulin Rouge. Though she did not win, Kidman later won in 2003 for her performance as Virginia Woolf in The Hours.

She was not the only performer from the summer films of 2001 that would later go on to a win an Oscar. Some were still fairly new on the scene in that summer, while others had been working for years.

Renée Zellweger also received a nomination from a film that summer with her performance in Bridget Jones Diary. She also did not win at the 2002 awards ceremony but would win best supporting actress at the 2004 ceremony for her performance in Cold Mountain.

Zellweger added a second Oscar statue when she won in 2020 for her performance as Judy Garland in Judy.

Anne Hathaway was somewhat just getting started with the 2001 hit The Princess Diaries. She, too, has maintained a steady career and won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2013 for Les Miserables.

Halle Berry and Reese Witherspoon both also represented the summer box office in 2001 and later went on to win Academy Awards. Berry actually bested Zellweger and Kidman at the 2002 Oscars when she won for her performance in Monster's Ball.

Witherspoon walked away with the Best Actress award in 2006 for her performance in Walk the Line. 

Not to be left out, Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardner, 2006), Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight, 2009), Penélope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona 2009), and Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour 2018) were among those who also went on to win Oscars.

Twenty years later, many of these performers are still working steadily and producing, directing, and starring in successful and critically-acclaimed projects. Many more from these summer films have nominations of their own over the years and continue to star in quality, and sometimes not-so-quality, work. Some of the films from that summer may not stand the test of time, but their careers certainly have.

Now to see if one of their films will top this tournament. Onto the round of 32 matchups.

April/May region

Upsets were not the way of the west in this region, with all top-8 films advancing. The top film of the summer, Shrek, is still standing. Animated films were a little light for the 2001 summer and Shrek is the only one to advance in this tournament.

1) Shrek8) Blow

5) Bridget Jones Diary4) Along Came a Spider

3) Pearl Harbor6) Moulin Rouge

7) A Knight's Tale2) The Mummy Returns

June region

The June region had the most lower-seeds pull off upset victories with a resounding two. Well, three if you count the first-ever tie in this tournament format. The Animal and Baby Boy just couldn't be settled in round one, so they will be placed in a three-way matchup to see which film clinches a spot (fingers crossed) in the Sweet 16.

1) The Fast and the Furious8) Evolution

5) A.I.: Artificial Intelligence13) Sexy Beast

14) The Anniversary Party6) Swordfish

7) The Animal 10) Baby Boy2) Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

July region

One little lower seed advanced in this region but it's a mighty film. Hedwig and the Angry Inch could continue to make noise moving forward in one of the more up-in-the-air regions.

1) Jurassic Park III8) Kiss of the Dragon

5) Cats & Dogs13) Hedwig and the Angry Inch

6) Scary Movie 23) Legally Blonde

7) The Score2) Planet of the Apes

August region

Rounding out the field, this region stayed with the theme in which all but one of the higher seeds advanced. Summer Catch was the film to sneak in and that's completely understandable, given it's a Freddie Prinze, Jr - Matthew Lillard joint. 

1) Rush Hour 29) Summer Catch

5) Rat Race4) The Others

6) Jeepers Creepers3) The Princess Diaries

7) Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back2) American Pie 2

Voting for this round will go through the weekend as we march to crown a champion by the end of May. Follow jasonrh_78 to vote and this blog for more.

Picture credit: Wikimedia Commons

Films of the summer box office 2001

Summer movies of 2001: A box office tournament

 

[image error] It's tournament time again, this time traveling back to 2001 and the top films at the summer box office.

Twenty years ago, the world looked a lot different. No one knew what a Facebook or Twitter account was. MTV still occasionally played music videos and wasn't a 24/7 hub for episodes of Ridiculousness. Tom Green was at the height of his popularity. Nelly's "Ride Wit Me" was one of the top pop songs of the summer, rocking discmans and car stereos everywhere.

And it was the last summer before the events of 9/11 changed life in the United States (and beyond).

Films on the big screen may have had different tones and different styles in the summer of 2001. The industry is ever-changing, of course, as technology and the world evolves. On the surface, however, there was a lot at the box office that looked very similar to 2021.

There were sequels galore, like Dr. Dolittle 2, Scary Movie 2, Rush Hour 2, American Pie 2, and Jurassic Park III, a franchise that is churning out films to this day. (A new film from the franchise is set for a 2022 release with Jurassic World: Dominion.)

Franchises like the one above – or the beginning of some – were also prevalent. Shrek premiered in May 2001, and was followed up by sequels, television specials, and more. There was also a Planet of the Apes remake starring Mark Wahlberg that opened in July. While his sequels never took off, the franchise continued with three more films, the first of which was released in 2011.

Twenty years ago also introduced the world to street racing and the characters of Dom (Vin Diesel), Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Mia (Jordana Brewster), and Brian (the late Paul Walker) in The Fast and the Furious. Not sure how much street racing takes place these days, but the franchise is going strong and raking in money, with the next installment F9 due out in North America in June of 2021.

That summer also had on display the continued bromance of Freddie Prinze, Jr and Matthew Lillard in the legendary baseball film Summer Catch. 

The top film of the entire year belonged to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, a film that was released in November. In second place, and the top-film in this summer box office bracket, belonged to Shrek. 

As with other tournaments on this blog, like the Summer Box Office of 1998, seedings were based off the domestic box office totals as listed on Box Office Mojo. The films were then placed in four regions based off release dates: April/May, June, July, and August. 

Voting will take place on Twitter over the next couple weeks. Be sure to follow along @jasonrh_78 and this blog for more as we delve into the films of that summer. Have fun and let the games commence! 

April/May region

Two months were combined here because of the relatively light film release schedule between these two months. Memorial Day weekend used to be the big time to release films but we've generally seen it moved up to earlier in May, at least prior to the pandemic.

Films released in this month showcased the talent of a young Heath Ledger in A Knight's Tale, gave us a turn of the (20th-century) tale in Moulin Rouge, and a underrated future classic in Josie and the Pussycats. 

This region is topped off by the likes of Shrek, Mummy Returns, and Pearl Harbor and is rounded out by Freddy Got Fingered. This film was Green's starring-vehicle that hoped to capitalize on his rocket-fueled fame and also promptly was a dud, likely leading to a downfall for the charismatic star.

1) Shrek16) Freddy Got Fingered8) Blow9) Driven

5) Bridget Jones Diary12) Angel Eyes

4) Along Came a Spider13) Kingdom Come

6) Moulin Rouge11) Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles

3) Pearl Harbor14) Pokemon 3 the Movie: Spell of the Unknown

7) A Knight's Tale10) Joe Dirt

2) The Mummy Returns15) Josie and the Pussycats

June region

Fast cars, a film based off a video game character, and robots were all subjects of films that were released in June 2001.

The summer of Eddie Murphy continued with Dr. Dolittle 2, Halle Berry rocked it in Swordfish, and Ben Kingsley was a Sexy Beast. These are just a few of the films looking to advance to the round of 32.

The bracket:

1) The Fast and the Furious16) Song Catcher

8) Evolution9) What's the Worst that Could Happen

5) A.I.: Artificial Intelligence12) The Closet

4) Atlantis: The Lost Empire13) Sexy Beast

6) Swordfish11) Crazy/Beautiful

3) Dr. Dolittle 214) The Anniversary Party

7) The Animal10) Baby Boy

2) Lara Croft: Tomb Raider15) Pootie Tang

July region

July of 2001 saw the release of the much-anticipated release of The Score, which marked the first and only time two legendary actors in Marlon Brando and Robert Deniro shared the screen together. The film didn't really hit as expected. It was a solid, if not unremarkable film, but IndieWire names it as one of Brando's 10 best performances. 

The region also gave us early Scarlett Johansson, a dose of Reese Witherspoon, and a wider introduction to the talented John Cameron Mitchell (who won best director at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival for Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

1) Jurassic Park III16) Karmina 2

8) Kiss of the Dragon9) Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

5) Cats & Dogs12) Bread and Tulips

4) America's Sweethearts13) Hedwig and the Angry Inch

6) Scary Movie 211) Made

3) Legally Blonde14) Greenfingers

7) The Score10) Ghost World

2) Planet of the Apes15) Yaadein

August region

It wouldn't be a summer box office without a Nicholas Cage film and we got exactly that with the August release of Captain Corelli's Mandolin. 

The month also saw the continuing trend of turning Shakespeare plays into film with O, a Colin Farrell sighting in American Outlaws, Nicole Kidman giving the frights in The Others, and the re-teaming of Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan in Rush Hour 2. 

The bracket:

1) Rush Hour 216) American Pie 2

8) Captain Corelli's Mandolin9) Summer Catch

5) Rat Race12) Osmosis Jones

4) The Others13) American Outlaws

6) Jeepers Creepers11) O

3) The Princess Diaries14) The Deep End

7) Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back10) Original Sin

2) American Pie 215) Ghosts of Marsphoto credit: Wikipedia

Tick Tock

 

It's been some time since I shared some poetry. Normally not a style I write in, at least not since my early 20s. Sporadically, the words for a poem enter the mind and this was one of those times. 

Tick tock

Tears fall heavy

Tears fall fast

Music weaves through the ears

setting the brain afire via kerosene-soaked memories

Lost time, incorrect twice a day

Blurry.

Fading.

Rolling into a heap of last words, final thoughts amid an ordinary email

Importance, though nothing was said.

Impact, yet there was no bracing for it.

Tick, tock; fresh, day and night

Night and day

Seconds played over an eternity

An eternity wrapped in a single phone call.

Fumbled words trail off

Crush. Crash.

Deflation at 30,000 feet.

A mess, never fully cleaned

simply tidied up

And

brushed away to another compartment

Stored until the chord strikes on cue

Bringing forth a storm, swallowed by time.

The dam will again break

And then...

the tears will fall heavy

the tears will fall fast.

Tick. Tock

photo credit: Jason Haskins

2021 NCAA men's tourney: Flying furiously into the Final Four

 

The Final Four of the 2021 NCAA men's tournament is upon us with Gonzaga, two games away from a perfect season, UCLA, Houston, and Baylor all chasing the title.The perfectionist. An underdog. The loud one. An unassuming threat.

Thrown together in detention, they could very well be members of The Breakfast Club. In this instance, these are the four teams left standing in the settling dust from the first two weekends of the . 

Like Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, and the rest of the rag-tag group that joined together, these four teams will gather on Saturday. Unlike the characters in the film, however, these four teams won't be joining forces. Instead, only one will remain cutting down the nets on Monday April 5.

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the perfectionist of the group, looking to become the first team since the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers to win a national championship with a perfect record intact. The record is not simply a reflection of an easy schedule. This team is fluid and efficient on offense and in the tourney, has shown a propensity to get things done on defense as well.

As the underdog of the group, the UCLA Bruins have been dancing since the First Four. Beginning with an overtime victory over Michigan State, the Bruins have kept on rolling and, in the process, became only the sixth double-digit seed to reach the Final Four.

The Baylor Bears had been running neck-and-neck with Gonzaga most of the season, piling up wins and getting rowdy along the way. A brief pause due to COVID-19 disrupted the rhythm, with a loss to Kansas ruining their perfect season. Baylor would lose to Oklahoma State in the Big 12 conference tournament but has found their way once again the last four games.

Rounding out the field of four, the Houston Cougars have quietly pieced together an outstanding season. An experienced core has led this group and it's a battle tested one, too. A glance might indicate otherwise, with the Cougars reaching this point having only faced double-digit seeds. But don't let that fool you. Houston can grind it out and will rely on a tenacious defense to hopefully reach the pinnacle.

One of the best things about these four teams is that three of them will have a chance to win their first men's basketball championship. The fourth, UCLA, has 11 previous titles under their belts with an eye on picking up number 12.

Will it be the perfectionist or the underdog? The loud one or the unassuming? Whichever team climbs the podium, it will end with a shining moment etched in time. A fist will be raised in the air and memories made they'll likely never soon forget.

Baylor vs HoustonThe battle for Texas gives us two teams who have been near the top of the rankings throughout the season and two teams have been away from the Final Four for a long while.
And it will be a trio of guards from each program that will help determine which teams graces the court in the championship game.
Winners of the South region, the Baylor Bears (26-2) will be appearing in their first Final Four since 1950. They have struggled to shoot the ball at times in the tournament, including a 3-19 performance from deep against Villanova in the Sweet 16. This hasn't seemed to matter a whole lot as the Bears are averaging 74.5 points per game. Baylor is holding opponents to 60.3 points per game in the tournament, with their closest game a nine-point victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Elite 8.
Baylor takes care of the ball, committing only 29 turnovers the last four games. The Bears are shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from three-point range.
Success or failure will likely be placed upon the shoulders of their three top guards and leading scorers. This trio has accounted for 55 percent of Baylor's scoring in the tournament, led by MaCio Teague. Teague is averaging 14.5 points per game, almost 1.5 points lower than his season average.
Teague, the team's second-leading scorer, has seen his scoring drop, as have his backcourt running mates. Jared Butler leads the team with 16.5 ppg but is down to an average of 13 in the last four games. He's shooting 34.6 percent (18-52) in that span but has also dished out 19 assists, placing him right at his season average.
Davion Mitchell has scored 54 points and dished out 19 assists in the tournament.
It is two key players off the bench who have picked up the scoring slack. Adam Flagler and Matthew Mayer combine to average 17.2 points, a number that has jumped to 20.5 in the tournament.
Emerging from the Midwest region, the Houston Cougars (26-3) have been away from the Final Four for a spell, too. Houston last made it this far in 1984, when the Cougars fell to Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown Hoyas in the title game. 
In winning four tournament games, the Cougars did so by shooting above 40 percent from the field only once (47.5 percent against Cleveland State). Houston is hitting 38.8 percent of their field goals and only 31.4 percent from three-point territory.
Houston is averaging 69.8 points and holding opponents to 55.8 in the tourney.
It is ball control (37 turnovers) and a huge rebounding margin of plus 45 in the tournament that powers Houston. That, and a suffocating defense led by DeJon Jarreau.
Jarreau might be Houston's most important player. His defense is top notch and he does a bit of everything on offense. Jarreau suffered a hip injury against Cleveland State in the game's opening minutes but since then is averaging 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists per game.
Quentin Grimes is the team's leading scorer at 18 ppg, a number he has matched in the tournament. Marcus Sasser scores 13. 5 per contest, a number that has dropped to 12.5 in the tourney while shooting 16-57 from the field.
Justin Gorham averages 8.5 points and 8.7 rebounds on the season.
Both Baylor and Houston are fairly evenly matched. A drag-down, knockout affair is on the agenda and the outcome is going to come down to which team has the better day from three-point range. 

Gonzaga vs UCLADouble-digit victories have been the norm for the Gonzaga Bulldogs (30-0) in the 2020-21 season. Only once has a final result been in a single-digit affair and their domination has continued in their tourney run, making just their second Final Four in program history.
Gonzaga is averaging 88.3 points per game and holding opponents to 64.3. The most points the Bulldogs allowed is 71 against Oklahoma in the round of 32.
Field goal percentage is slightly down for Gonzaga but they are still connecting on 53.5 percent from the floor. The Bulldogs are shooting 40.3 percent from three and have an average rebound margin of 15 in the tournament.
Gonzaga does have a slightly higher turnover margin in the tournament than the other three remaining teams, averaging 11.5 per game.
Trouble is, they are so efficient at running their half court offense and in the fast break, it's hard to put a dent in their armor. It also helps that the seven players who see the majority of court time all contribute.
It has been Drew Timme's tournament so far. Timme has been a force, averaging 21.3 ppg and 7.5 rebounds. Timme is excellent around the rim and has also dished out 17 assists.
Corey Kispert averages 18.9 points per game, but has fallen all the way down to 17.3 in the tournament. (Drastic, I know.) Kispert is 15-30 from beyond the arc, but did suffer a 3-10 performance against USC.
Jalen Suggs and Joel Ayayi are a formidable duo in the backcourt. Suggs is averaging 12.3 ppg in the tournament to go along with 22 rebounds and 19 assists. Ayayi is one of the best rebounding guards in the country and is pulling down nearly eight per game in the tourney to go along with just over 12 points per game.
Gonzaga has their star in Timme and the UCLA Bruins (22-9) are carried by a star of their own in Johnny Juzang.
In leading UCLA to their first Final Four appearance since the 2007-08 season, Juzang has been a driving factor in the team's success. He's averaging 21.6 points per contest in the Bruins five games, six points above his season average. 
Juzang is not propelling UCLA to victory all by his lonesome, with Jaime Jaquez Jr. delivering quite the tournament himself.  Jaquez is contributing 14.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and nearly three assists per game on the offensive end. On defense, he's picked up eight steals and blocked five shots.
Jules Bernard, Tyger Campbell, and Cody Riley will also be players to keep an eye on. Bernard is averaging 11 points and 7 rebounds in the tournament. Campbell struggled with his shot early in the tournament but has come on as of late while Riley is steady inside with 40 points and 26 rebounds the last five games.
Twice UCLA needed overtime to advance and twice the Bruins have won games while holding opponents to under 50 points. The Bruins are averaging 73 points and allowing 63.2.
Much like Baylor and Houston, UCLA takes care of the ball, committing only 7.2 turnovers per contest. They are shooting 43.8 percent from the field (37.8 from beyond the arc) and have a minus seven rebound margin in the tournament.
Limiting Gonzaga's easy looks and fast break opportunities will be UCLA's main goal. But it may take Juzang and Jaquez each scoring in the mid-20's if the Bruins are to stand a chance at continuing their magical run.PredictionsI have exactly one team left in my bracket. I chose Gonzaga from day one of the tournament and will roll with them here. Houston over BaylorGonzaga over UCLAFinal: Gonzaga over Houstonphoto credit: Wikimedia Commons

NCAA men's tournament 2021: Sublime serenade of the Sweet 16

 

The Pac-12 Conference is leading the way in the 2021 NCAA men's tournament, marching into the second weekend with nearly an unblemished record.

Let's get this out of the way up front: my bracket is busted.

Oh, sure, there are three no. 1 seeds left in the tourney – condolences to the Illinois Fighting Illini – to help keep part of the bracket intact. And I did indeed have the Gonzaga Bulldogs, Baylor Bears, and Michigan Wolverines making it to where we currently stand with the Sweet 16.

Turns out, a reliance on the supposed strength of the Big 10 did me in. Illinois reaching the Final? Nope. The Ohio State Buckeyes reaching the Final Four? A slowly delivered ha, ha. 

These losses likely contributed to many a bracket being busted worldwide. That, and a large contingency of the remaining 13 teams filling out the Sweet 16, outside those three no. 1's, are ranked as a fifth-seed or lower in their respective region.

If you're scoring at home, here's how that looks:

1 seed: 3 teams2 seed: 2 teams3 seed: 1 team4 seed: 1 team5 seed: 2 teams6 seed: 1 team7seed: 1 team8 seed: 1 team11 seed: 2 team12 seed: 1 team15 seed: 1 teamAlmost every seed is represented in the Sweet 16. This is a far cry from the 2019 tournament, which saw the top three seeds in all four regions advance to this round, with the lowest being a 12-seed in the Oregon Ducks.
Here in 2021, the Ducks are back at it again, making their fourth Sweet 16 appearance in the last five tournaments. Oregon is part of a purely dominant Pac-12, which has gone 9-1 in this year's tournament, the lone blemish coming with the Colorado Buffaloes loss to Florida State in the round of 32. 
The conference will be guaranteed a representative in the Elite 8 thanks to a matchup between the seventh-seed Ducks and sixth-seed USC Trojans, who walloped the Kansas Jayhawks 85-51 in the round of 32.
That game basically put an exclamation point on the first two rounds of games for the Pac-12, announcing they were indeed a conference not to be slept on. 
And how about all the accolades poured on the Big 10 throughout the last couple months of the season and heading into the tournament? That can mostly be forgotten now as eight teams from the conference have bowed out and the one deemed the most susceptible to an early-round upset, the Michigan Wolverines, is still standing.
Action gets started on Saturday March 27 and the Final Four will be set by the end of Tuesday March 30. Here is a brief overview of those matchups.Midwest RegionGames in the Midwest region will be played on Saturday March 27 and Monday March 29.
(12) Oregon State Beavers vs (8) Loyola Chicago Ramblers
Returning to the Sweet 16, the Ramblers (26-4) are making a habit of taking down conference tournament champions. In defeating Georgia Tech (ACC) and Illinois (Big 10), Loyola Chicago has proven to be slayer of champions and will look to add Pac-12 tournament champion Oregon State to that list.
The Beavers (19-12), winners in 9 of their last 11 games and part of the "", will look to keep their Cinderella season going.
Oregon State has defeated opponents from the SEC and Big 12 so far in the tourney to reach this point. The Beavers have an average margin victory of 12 points and hold a +27 rebounding advantage in the NCAA tournament.
Guard Ethan Thompson has been the standout so far, averaging 19.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Ramon Silva can be a problem for opposing teams in the paint on both ends of the floor. Silva had 16 points in the victory over Tennessee and pulled down 12 rebounds against Oklahoma State. He also has seven blocked shots in two tournament games, with Oregon State collecting 11 against the Cowboys.
The Ramblers also have a center and guard shouldering the load in this year's Sweet 16 run. And center Cameron Krutwig knows intimately the feeling of being in the Big Dance.
Krutwig was a freshman on the 2018 team that made the deep tournament run. He put his knowledge and experience to use to propel the Ramblers to a victory in the round of 32 over Illinois. Krutwig has posted 29 points in this year's tourney to go along with 17 rebounds, five steals, and five assists.
Guard Lucas Williamson has scored 35 points on 13-21 shooting to lead Loyola Chicago.
The Ramblers rely on a stingy defense, making it difficult for teams to get into any sort of offensive rhythm. They allow only 55.8 points per game and their defense is a major reason they've only lost one game since mid-January (a 51-50 loss to the Drake Bulldogs.
(11) Syracuse vs (2) Houston
Deadly from three-point range and a suffocating zone defense sum up what the Syracuse Orange (18-9) do on the regular. And they've been doing it with utmost efficiency in this year's men's tournament.
Syracuse has picked up victories over San Diego State and West Virginia to get this far. They did so thanks to a 29-58 effort from three-point range while also holding opponents to 36.5 percent (50-137) from the field. 
Buddy Boeheim has been phenomenal for the Orange, averaging 27.5 points in two tournament games and connecting on 13 three-pointers. Joseph Girard III is also a threat from deep (seven 3's) and Marek Dolezaj does a bit of everything.
Dolezaj has scored 23 points on 7-10 of shooting in the tourney, adding 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
The Houston Cougars (26-3) have pieced together nine straight wins, winning in both a rout and in come-from-behind style in this year's NCAA tournament. 
Houston has a balanced, guard-heavy lineup that wasn't really tested too often in conference play, though they were 2-2 in games decided by five points or less. Going against the Syracuse zone might be problematic if Houston has to rely on the three-pointer. They are a combined 15-48 from deep in this year's tournament.
Quentin Grimes averages 18.1 ppg this season to lead Houston and is two tournament games this year has 40 points and 13 rebounds. Dejon Jarreau is similar to Dolezaj in doing a bit of everything but he will likely be hampered by a hip injury he suffered against Cleveland State. Jarreau took a couple of hard bumps on the hip against Rutgers, but still managed to put up 17 points.South RegionGames in the South region will be played on Saturday March 27 and Monday March 29.
(5) Villanova vs (1) Baylor
Without their best player in Collin Gillespie and having lost three of four entering the NCAA tournament, not many were giving the Wildcats (18-6) much hope of moving past the first round. How did Villanova respond? Simply winning their first two games by an average of 16.5 points.
They did so despite  being outrebounded in both games. A 15-30 shooting performance from three-point range against North Texas helped in the round of 32 and in both games, four of five starters reached double figures in points. 
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl has picked up the slack, scoring 40 points, pulling down 17 rebounds, and dishing out 12 assists in the two games.
The Baylor Bears (24-2) continue to be led by a trio of experienced guards, which helped Baylor win their first two tournament games by an average of 18. Jared Butler, Davion Mitchell, and MaCio Teague have been in sync all season. The three combined to score 88 points, grab 21 rebounds, and dish out 24 assists in victories over Hartford and Wisconsin.
Baylor's bench also had nice contributions from Adam Flagler and Matthew Mayer, with Mayer scoring 17 points against Wisconsin.
The Bears had only 14 turnovers in the two games and had 21 steals.
(15) Oral Roberts vs (3) Arkansas
Will the clock strike midnight for the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (18-10)? They've been hanging on by the skin of their teeth in the first two rounds. The Golden Eagles led most of the game against Ohio State before allowing a comeback and then ultimately winning in overtime.
Against the Florida Gators, Oral Roberts trailed throughout and used a late push to secure the victory. Their two games were won by a combined six points.
It has been the Kevin Obanor and Max Abmas show for the Golden Eagles in two tournament games. Obanor is averaging 29 points and 11 rebounds per game while Abmas, the nation's leading scorer, is averaging 27.5. Abmas also was a perfect 12-12 from the line in the victory over the Gators. 
Outside of Obanor, rebounding has been a major problem for Oral Roberts. The team was minus 17 against Ohio State and minus 13 against Florida. 
Obanor and the Golden Eagles face a difficult matchup against Justin Smith and the Arkansas Razorbacks (24-6). Smith has totaled 49 points and 19 rebounds in Razorback victories over Colgate and Texas Tech.
Moses Moody is the top-scorer for Arkansas at 17.1 ppg but is slightly below that number in two tournament games, averaging 13.5.
Arkansas is struggling with the three-point shot the last two games (9-33) and let opponents gain the rebounding advantage in both games as well.  West RegionGames in the West region will be played Sunday March 28 and Tuesday March 30.
(5) Creighton vs (1) Gonzaga
Playing .500 ball in six games prior to the NCAA tournament, the Creighton Blue Jays (22-8) were targeted as a possible victim of a first-round upset. Two late free throws by Christian Bishop against UC Santa Barbara spared Creighton that indignity. Creighton followed that game up with a 14-point victory over the Ohio Bobcats.
Bishop has been a force on both ends of the floor. On the tournament, he has 27 points and 26 rebounds. Marcus Zegarowski has 37 points and 10 assists as all five Creighton starters contribute (all were in double figures in the victory over Creighton).
The Gonzaga Bulldogs (28-0) continued to put on a show in their first two games, averaging 92.5 points per game. They allowed an average of 63 and continued to only have one game in the 2020-21 season decided by single digits.
Drew Timme had a stellar performance in the first two rounds, totaling 40 points, 19 rebounds and 9 assists. Corey Kispert posted 39 points and Jalen Suggs added 22.
Joel Ayayi joined the fun as well, posting 27 points and 17 rebounds in the two games.
(7) Oregon vs (6) USC
A battle between two familiar Pac-12 foes will take place between the Oregon Ducks (21-6) and the USC Trojans (24-7) on Sunday. The teams met once during the regular season, with the Trojans winning 72-58.
Oregon enters this contest having only played one game in this year's NCAA tournament, a 95-80 victory of Iowa. The Ducks first-round game was a no contest when VCU was forced to bow out because of COVID-19.
Most of the productivity for Oregon will likely come from their five starters. An experienced core group sees most of the time on the court and all five scored in double figures against Iowa. 
Chris Duarte keeps the Duck engine running. He scored 23 points and had 7 assists against Iowa. LJ Figueroa had 21 points and 7 rebounds.
The two combined for 25 points on 10-19 shooting in the earlier loss to USC.
For the Trojans, it is the Mobley brothers who are putting opponents on notice. Evan Mobley, the seven-footer, has 27 points, 24 rebounds, and 7 assists in the tournament, plus six blocked shots to boot.
Isaiah Mobley, a mere six-foot-ten, has totaled 32 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists. Isaiah can also stretch the floor, shooting 5-7 from beyond the arc.
Isaiah also missed the first matchup between the teams while Evan scored 11. Tahj Eddy led the Trojans on that day with 24 and has 21 points and 13 assists in the last two games.
USC is averaging 78.5 points per game in the tournament and allowing 53.5.East Region

Games in the East region ended up pretty much chalk, with three of the top four seeds advancing, and will be played Sunday March 28 and Tuesday March 30.

(4) Florida State vs (1) Michigan

Florida State (18-6) has seemingly threatened to make a run to the title game for years now. finally had their moment in the sun in 2019 so Florida State is hoping their time is now.

A rotation that goes ten-deep powers Florida State. Like Creighton, they were playing .500 ball in six games prior to the start of tournament play. They've again found consistency, scoring 67.5 points per game while holding opponents to 53.5.

Florida State is not a big fan of the three-pointer. In two games, they've only shot 23, making six. They run a much more patient offense, though they committed 15 turnovers in each of their first two games.

Anthony Polite has scored 34 points, dropping 22 on 8-12 shooting against Colorado. Polite also had 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals in that game. Raiquan Gray is another player to keep an eye on. Gray has 26 points and 13 rebounds in the tournament.

Michigan likes to get out and run a little bit more than Florida State does, as well as shoot more threes (19-51). The three-point percentage is a little on the low side, but Michigan is shooting just over 50 percent from the floor the last two games. 

The Wolverines (22-4) also put a lot of pride in their defense, though they are allowing 72 points per game in the tourney.

Eli Brooks has totaled 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists in two games. Chaundee Brown scored 21 points off the bench in the victory over LSU, but did not score in the Michigan's opening game against Texas Southern.

(11) UCLA vs (2) Alabama

Rounding out the Pac-12 representation, the UCLA Bruins (20-9) will be playing their fourth game of the tournament. 

The Bruins have won all three of their games by double digits, thanks in large part to the play of Johnny Juzang. Part of a four-guard starting lineup, Juzang is averaging just over 22 ppg. Jaime Jacquez Jr. is also going to work for UCLA, averaging nearly 17 points per contest.

UCLA has been impressive at limiting turnovers, committing only 20 through three tournament games.

Alabama (26-6) enters this game coming off a red-hot victory over Maryland. The Crimson Tide scored 96 points and drained 16 three-pointers (this, after a game in which they were 5-16 from deep). 

Rebounding is also not a problem for Alabama, who held a plus 16 advantage over Iona and followed that up with a plus 23 advantage over Maryland. Five players for the Crimson Tide had five rebounds or more in that game.

Guards Jaden Shackelford and James Petty Jr. have combined for 61 points in the tournament. They went 2-10 from three-point range against Iona but bounced back with a combined 9-17 performance against Maryland.

Be sure to follow along here and on Twitter via @LookinSporty1 and @jasonrh_78 for all the men's tournament results, thoughts, and more. 

photo credit: Flickr

NCAA men's tourney: Loyola Chicago finds magic once again

 

The round of 32 in the 2021 NCAA men's tournament saw higher seeds continue to fall in another exciting day of basketball action.Call it magic. Call it the prayers of Sister Jean. Or simply call it an underrated team proving they have something fantastic brewing. No matter the case, the Loyola Chicago Ramblers are headed back to the Sweet 16. 
Garnering goodwill from a nation of fans, similar to the in 2018, Loyola Chicago (26-4) is once again turning into basketball darlings in the NCAA men's tournament. 
Different in 2021, however, is that Loyola Chicago should no longer be considered a "Cinderella story". In pulling off the upset of the Midwest region's no. 1 seed Illinois Fighting Illini (24-7), the Ramblers have made a statement that they are here to stay.
Eighth-seed Loyola Chicago began the tournament falling behind early in their opening-round victory over Georgia Tech. On Sunday, there was no such problem as the Ramblers led wire-to-wire in defeating Illinois 71-58.
Timely shooting, harassing defense, and the play of Cameron Krutwig were main reasons for the Ramblers victory.
Krutwig did a little bit of everything on Sunday against Illinois. He scored 19 points and pulled down 12 rebounds while also dishing out five assists. Krutwig also had four steals on the day,
The Ramblers shot 51 percent from the field and had 12 steals as their defense frustrated Illinois throughout the contest.
Kofi Cockburn had 21 points and 9 rebounds for the Illini. Star guard Ayo Dosunmu struggled, going 4-10 from the field and committing six turnovers.
Loyola Chicago will face no. 12 seed Oregon State in the Sweet 16 next weekend.Syracuse and lower seeds rollingOnce again, head coach Jim Boeheim and the Syracuse Orange (18-9) are proving the naysayers wrong.
Perhaps to be lucky to be in the tournament at all, 11th-seed Syracuse delivered again from three-point land again in defeating the Midwest region's third-seed West Virginia Mountaineers 75-72.
Syracuse led most of the game, only to allow West Virginia (19-10) to crawl back. The Mountaineers found some range of their own and, coupled with Syracuse's struggle with the press and missed free throws, made it a close game by the end.
The Orange and Buddy Boeheim, in the end, proved to be too much. 
Syracuse hit 14 three-pointers, six coming from the younger Boeheim. He finished with 25 points as Syracuse advanced to the Sweet 16 for the third time in the past six tournaments. 
Meanwhile, over in the South region, the players from Oral Roberts (18-10) continued to be golden. 
Down 11 in the second-half, the 15th-seed Golden Eagles battled back and earned their first-ever trip to the Sweet 16 with a 81-78 victory over the Florida Gators (15-10).
Despite a 33 percent (10-30) mark from three-point range and a minus 13 advantage on the boards, Oral Roberts was able to piece together a victory. Kevin Obanor continued his exceptional tournament play with 28 points and 11 rebounds. Leading scorer Max Abmas contributed 26 points, going 12-12 from the charity stripe.
Adding to this surprising list, while also keeping the Pac-12 Conference undefeated in this year's tournament, was the no. 12 seed Oregon State Beavers (19-12).
The Beavers were on point after starting the game 1-11 from the field. They had a lead that grew as big as 18, fended off an Oklahoma State comeback, and defeated the fourth-seed Cowboys 80-70.
Oklahoma State (21-9) was able to cut the lead to two in the second-half but, down three with a couple of minutes on the clock, went cold and watched as Oregon State sealed the game from the free throw line (connecting on 32-35 overall. Knocking down your free throws does pay off).
Despite committing 20 turnovers, Oregon State was able to win in large part thanks to a rebound advantage of 22 over the Cowboys. Roman Silva and Warith Alatishe each had 12.
Ethan Thompson had 26 points and 7 rebounds for the Beavers.
Along with the rebounding disadvantage, a poor-shooting night did Oklahoma State in. The Cowboys shot only 27.7 percent from the field. Cade Cunningham led the way with 24 points but was only 6-20 from the floor.The rest of the South & Midwest regionsThe Rutgers Scarlet Knights (16-12) had a solid chance to be the last Big Ten team remaining on the South/Midwest side of the bracket heading into the Sweet 16.
Instead, the Scarlet Knights joined Illinois and the Wisconsin Badgers in heading back home today.
Rutgers was in control much of their game against the Houston Cougars (26-3). The Scarlet Knights were up by nine with 4:33 remaining. But the offense stalled, scoring only two points the rest of the way, and Houston pulled off a come-from-behind 63-60 victory.
Houston's Quentin Grimes had 22 points and nine rebounds.
Wisconsin (18-13) never quite located their deep threat scoring from their opening-round victory over North Carolina. The Badgers were only 8-21 from deep as the South region's top seed Baylor Bears (24-2) won 76-63.
Baylor shot 45.5 percent from the field and were led by Matthew Mayer, who had 17 points and 6 rebounds off the bench. Guards Jared Butler and Davion Mitchell each scored 16, with Mitchell dishing out eight assists.
The Bears will play fifth-seed Villanova, who advanced with a 84-64 victory over the North Texas Mean Green (18-10). The Wildcats (18-6) had four players score in double figures, committed only six turnovers and shot 55.4 percent from the field, including a 15-30 performance from three-point range.
Closing out the South region, the third-seed Arkansas Razorbacks (24-6) won a nail-biter over the sixth-seed Texas Tech Red Raiders, 68-66. Arkansas built a lead in the second-half after being down by 10 for parts of the first half. The Razorbacks were able to fend off a Texas Tech comeback and a missed Red Raiders (18-11) contested layup at the end of the game.
Arkansas placed four players in double figures. Justin Smith scored 20 points on 9-11 shooting and pulled down six rebounds. The Razorbacks were 4-17 from deep but committed only nine turnovers.

Round of 32 games (3/22)

The Sweet 16 will be set by the end of the day on Monday. And while this side of the bracket hasn't experienced as many upsets, there are opportunities for lower-seeded teams to advance.

The schedule: 

West region - (7) Oregon vs (2) Iowa 12:10 pm ETWest region - (8) Oklahoma vs (1) Gonzaga 2:40 pm  ETEast region - (14) Abilene Christian vs (11) UCLA 5:15 pm ETWest region - (13) Ohio vs (5) Creighton 6:10 pm ETEast region - (8) LSU vs (1) Michigan 7:10 pm ETEast region - (5) Colorado vs (4) Florida State 7:45 pm ETEast region - (10) Maryland vs (2) Alabama 8:45 pm ETWest region - (6) USC vs (3) Kansas 9:40 pm ETphoto credit: Wikimedia Commonsstats: ESPN

NCAA men's tourney 2021: Golden Eagles take flight

 

Lower seeds had plenty to say on the opening day of the 2021 NCAA men's tournament, starting with the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles.

The Big Ten led all conferences with nine teams selected for the NCAA men's tournament in 2021. By the end of day one, plus a round of games, conference representation was down to six, including the slaying of higher-ranked seeds.

Oral Roberts (17-10) got the party started early on Friday. The 15th-seed Golden Eagles shocked the South region's 2nd-seed Ohio State Buckeyes 75-72 in overtime for their first win in the NCAA tourney since 1974.

CINDERELLA CELEBRATES!@ORUMBB | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/E5JKeHtkm6

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 19, 2021

The Golden Eagles led from the get-go, racing out to a 7-0 lead and carrying a 36-33 lead into halftime.

Ohio State (21-10) battled back and was able to take the lead heading into the game's final minutes. It looked like the Buckeyes were going to stave off the upset-bid but Oral Roberts refused to go away, ultimately tying the game at 64 by knocking down two free throws with 14.9 seconds left.

The Buckeyes had a contested look that didn't go and the teams marched to overtime.

Oral Roberts took control early in overtime and this time was able to stem the tide on an Ohio State comeback. Trailing 72-69, Ohio State had a chance to cut into the lead but star Duane Washington Jr. missed two free throws. This forced the Buckeyes into fouling and the Golden Eagles connected on just enough to pick up the victory.

The nation's leading scorer Max Abmas had 29 points for Oral Roberts, connecting on five of the team's 11 three-pointers. Kevin Obanor led the way for the Golden Eagles with 30 points and 11 rebounds.

EJ Liddell led Ohio State with 23 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists, but also had some key turnovers down the stretch. Washington finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Buckeyes held a +15 advantage on the boards.

Ohio State was 5-23 from three-point range.

Oral Roberts victory was the ninth time a no. 15 seed has knocked off a no. 2 seed in the men's NCAA tournament.

The game was also one of three overtime games played on the day, including another upset in the South region.

North Texas finds glass slipper

Overtime basketball has clearly not been the friend of the Big Ten here in the first handful of games. The no. 4 seed Purdue Boilermakers (18-10) were the latest to find this out.

The recipient of the upset-victory was 13-seed North Texas (18-9), as the Mean Green picked up their first-ever NCAA tournament win with a 78-69 victory.

North Texas led most of the way, leading by eight points at halftime. Purdue clawed their way back, almost willing themselves to get back into the game.

Tied at 61 with 21.3 seconds left, the Mean Green had a chance to win the game in regulation. After nearly throwing the ball away, North Texas had a decent look that simply didn't fall.

It was no matter, though, as North Texas controlled overtime with swagger that turned into success. Purdue also missed their first nine field goal attempts in the extra period, helping put a dagger in their hopes.

Four players scored in double figures for the Mean Green. Javion Hamlet was a force all over the court, leading the way with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists. Mardrez McBride and Thomas Bell added 16 apiece.

Jaden Ivey scored 26 points for the Boilermakers and Trevion Williams added 14 points and collected 13 rebounds.

12-seed over 5-seed magicThe Oregon State Beavers added their name to the special oddity that is the 12/5 seed line of the men's NCAA tournament.
Oregon State (18-12) led wire-to-wire in handling the Tennessee Volunteers 70-56 and guaranteeing right off the bat a 12-seed victory in this year's tournament.
The Beavers led by as many as 20 points and placed four starters in double figures in winning their fourth-straight game. Roman Silva led the way with 16 points and Ethan Thompson pitched in 13. Thompson also had 10 rebounds. 
Tennessee (18-9) was 5-26 from beyond the arc and shot only 33.3 percent on the day. Keon Johnson led the Vols with 14 points.  

South regionThree of the top eight seeds in this region have been eliminated, including the no. 8 seed North Carolina Tar Heels (18-11). 
In what had all the pre-game makings of a first-round classic, the game was anything but as Wisconsin (18-12) won in dominating fashion, 85-62. The ninth-seed Badgers connected on 13 three-pointers and UNC wasn't even close after the game's first ten minutes.
Brad Davison had 29 points and Dmitrik Trice added 21.
The South region began the day with an overtime affair, with the no. 7 seed Florida Gators (15-9) defeating the Virginia Tech Hokies (15-7) 75-70.
Florid stormed back down the stretch thanks to the play of Colin Castleton. Castleton had 19 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocked shots.
Nahiem Alleyne had 28 points for the Hokies, scoring 14 straight at one point at the end of regulation and overtime.
Baylor (23-2), the region's top seed, won with ease. And no. 3 seed Arkansas Razorbacks (23-6) were down by 14 in the first-half against Colgate (14-2), but used a 17-0 run to close the half and an ultimate 85-68 victory.
The fifth and sixth seeds both won, with Villanova (17-6) righting their ship with a victory over the Winthrop Eagles (23-2). Texas Tech (18-10) held off quite the effort from Utah State's Neemias Queta to win 65-53. Queta scored 11 points, pulled down 13 boards, blocked 7 shots and dished out six assists. 

Midwest regionThe 5, 6, and 7 seeds in the Midwest region have all been eliminated, though outside the Oregon State game, none were quite the shockers that occurred in the South region.
The biggest perhaps, even as many pundits were predicting it, belonged to the 10th-seed Rutgers Scarlet Knights (16-11). Rutgers picked up their first NCAA tourney victory since 1983 with a 60-56 win over the Clemson Tigers (16-8). 
Syracuse connected on 15-27 three-point attempts as the 11th-seed Orange knocked off the no. 6 San Diego State Aztecs (23-5), 78-62. Buddy Boeheim scored 30 points for Syracuse (17-9), hitting 11-15 (7-10 from three).
San Diego State went scoreless for nearly the last 10 minutes of the first-half after taking an early six-point lead. The Aztecs ended the game by going 11-40 from deep. 
The 13th-seed Liberty Flames (23-6) nearly joined the Cinderella party but, after leading a majority of the game, ultimately fell to Oklahoma State (21-8), 69-60.
Top-seed Illinois (24-6) won with ease as did the region's no. 2 seed Houston Cougars (25-3). 
Eighth-seed Loyola Chicago (25-4) defeated Georgia Tech (17-9), 71-60 and third-seed West Virginia (19-9) held off a valiant effort by Morehead State (23-8), winning 84-67.
West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins picked up career-win 900 with this victory, becoming the sixth Division 1 coach to reach this feat. 
photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

NCAA men's tournament: First Four games deliver excitement

 

March Madness and the NCAA men's tournament entered the chat on Thursday, with all the games from the First Four round bringing excitement, thrilling finishes, and more.

The Drake Bulldogs (26-4) waited a long time to add another victory to their NCAA tournament win total. And for a while, it looked like they were well on their way to a quick exit in 2021.

In the end, the Bulldogs narrowly escaped with a 53-52 victory after a missed three-point attempt by Wichita State's Alterique Gilbert just before time expired. This after Drake's Joe Yesufu missed the front end of a 1-and-1 free throw with just under six seconds left, allowing for the Shockers final attempt.

This was Drake's first victory in the tournament in 50 years, stretching back to a 79-72 victory over Notre Dame on this date in 1971. 

Wichita State (16-6) actually led for most of the game. Drake took an early lead but then went 10 minutes with a point. The Shockers, with a swarming and tenacious perimeter defense, kept Drake at bay but weren't able to generate much offense, taking a 21-20 lead at halftime.

Drake was able to tie the score at 23 but then went another seven minutes without a point and Wichita State built a nine-point lead.

Slowly, the Bulldogs chipped away before finally retaking a 46-45 lead on a Darnell Brodie layup with 4:16 remaining.

Yesufu led Drake with 21 points and Brodie had 9 points and 10 rebounds despite being in foul trouble.

Morris Udeze had a career-game for the Shockers, dropping 22 points and securing 4 rebounds. Leading scorer Tyson Etienne was held to one point, a free throw with 8:19 left in the second half. Etienne was 0-6 from the field.

Though they committed only eight turnovers, Wichita State was 3-18 from three-point range and shot 33.9 percent from the field. Drake shot 37.7 percent and committed 13 turnovers. 

Drake will play the USC Trojans (22-7) in West region action on Saturday (3/20).

The Bulldogs picked up a huge victory and so did the Texas Southern Tigers and Norfolk State Spartans. Representing the SWAC and MEAC, it marked the first-time that schools from these conferences won a NCAA tourney game in the same year.

First time ever a #swac and #meac team have won a game in the same NCAA tournament.

— Jamal Murphy (@Blacketologist) March 19, 2021

Two of the three other games came down to the wire, including the marquee matchup in the East region.

Michigan State Spartans vs UCLA Bruins

A big early lead for Michigan State. A furious rally for the UCLA Bruins. And it still wasn't enough for the game to be decided in regulation.

The game between storied programs and current 11-seeds lived up to the billing, with the Bruins prevailing in overtime, 86-80. 

Michigan State (15-13) built an early first-half lead as big as 14 and was still up 44-33 at the half. 

UCLA came out with a bang, however, with a quick 9-2 run. The Spartans shook off the rust but UCLA kept scrapping, finally taking a 67-66 lead. 

The Spartans scored seven straight points before again letting UCLA back in it. Michigan State and UCLA each had a shot at the end of regulation but neither could convert as they headed to overtime tied at 77.

From there, it was all UCLA.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. led the Bruins with 27 points and Johnny Juzang added 21. Juzang suffered what appeared to be an ankle injury in overtime and may not be available for Saturday's matchup with no. 6 seed BYU (20-6).

Three players were in double figures for Michigan State, led by Aaron Henry's 18. Henry also added seven assists.

Norfolk State Spartans hang onNorfolk State was on cruise control headed into halftime. The Spartans built a lead as large as 19 and went into the break with a 36-20 lead.
Perhaps they already had the Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-0) on their minds.
The Spartans went cold and ran into an Appalachian State buzz saw, scoring only 18 points in the second-half. The final two, however, were two free throws that turned out to be enough as Norfolk State (17-7) held on for a 54-53 victory in a battle of the West region's 16-seeds.
Appalachian State (17-12) had two chances after Norfolk State's Devante Carter hit the free throws but both three-point attempts missed.
Coming off the bench, Jalen Hawkins led the Spartans with 24 points and 5 rebounds.
Justin Forest led Appalachian State with 18 points.
The Mountaineers managed to shoot only 25.8 percent from the field, including only 6-36 from three-point range. Norfolk State managed to go 34.5 percent on field goal attempts, knocking down 7-18 from deep.Texas Southern Tigers huge second-half

For one half, everything was going right for the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers (12-11). Then, a lid was placed on the basket.

The champions out of the Northeast Conference, Mount St. Mary's held a 30-20 halftime lead. 

Texas Southern (17-8) took control and then some in the second half, outscoring the Mountaineers 40-22 to pick up a 60-52 victory. 

Both these 16-seeds in the East region were evenly matched throughout the game, making the eight-point victory seem larger than it actually was. Each team shot 38 percent from the field and the Tigers only held a plus one advantage on the boards.

It was also nearly flawless game, however, in controlling the ball that gave Texas Southern the advantage, committing only five turnovers to the Mountaineers nine.

John Walker III led the Tigers with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Jordan Gilliam added 12 points.

Damian Chong Qui led Mount St. Mary's with 14 points while Mezie Offurum had 10 points and 16 rebounds. 

Texas Southern will now meet the East's top-seeded Michigan Wolverines (20-4) on Saturday.

photo credit: Flickr