Syracuse and Wichita State into the Final Four

The NCAA Tournament's Elite 8 started off earlier today with two teams punching their tickets into the Final Four.

In the East Regional Final, #4 Syracuse took on #3 Marquette  and ultimately dismantled them. They held them to under 25% shooting and under 15% from behind the arch. Though the Orange shot under their average, their 38% shooting was still enough to beat Marquette comfortably 55-39. This marks the first time Syracuse has reached the Final Four since 2003 when Carmelo Anthony was on the team.

As for the West Regional Final, #9 Wichita State managed to prove they're the Cinderella team to root for with their win over Ohio State 70-66. The Shockers had a half time lead over the Buckeyes of 35-22. Ohio State managed to come back a bit but still fell short. Wichita State Shocks and Awes the college basketball world advancing to the Final Four for the first time since 1965.

Congrats to the two teams able to get to the Final Four, especially Wichita State. They beat Gonzaga, then La Salle, and then they took down mighty Ohio State.

The Elite 8 concludes tomorrow with #1 Louisville vs. #2 Duke for the Midwest and then in the South, its #4 Michigan vs. #3 Florida.

UCLA Hires Random Guy From New Mexico

The UCLA Bruins have finally found someone to accept the college basketball job at their school.

UCLA has taken almost a week to name their head coach because their first choices wouldn't accept. Shaka Smart turned them down and Minnesota as well to stay at VCU. He even signed an extension with the Rams. Brad Stevens of Butler also turned down UCLA saying he's still the coach for Butler. Even Ashton Kutcher refused the job insisting he's happy at CBS.

However, the Bruins finally found someone they liked. New Mexico head coach Steve Alford has been hired by UCLA to be the next head coach for the basketball team. Alford has had an impressive regular season record but whenever New Mexico has been in the tournament, they have been eliminated rather early on. In fact, the Lobos were eliminated in what is technically the 2nd round of the tournament this year by #14 Harvard.

The Bruins finally pulled a name out of the hat after several tries. No I don't know if Shaka Smart and Brad Stevens are really loyal enough to not want to leave their respective school for another destination. They might be or just want to build their names up further in places not known for their basketball programs. But the fact that both of them turned down UCLA says something about the instant allure of being the basketball coach for the Bruins: it's faded considerably.

The eyes of coaches, fans, and players don't necessarily see it as a place to look up to anymore like in the John Wooden era. The Bruins have only won one national title (1995) since Wooden retired and have struggled to get far in the tournament, if they get in at all. True, their last coach Ben Howland managed to get them to three Final Fours in a row but the program has since dropped along with the prestige and excitement once again.

Steve Alford now becomes UCLA's head coach with high expectations indeed. It's not that New Mexico didn't expect a lot from Alford but UCLA certainly expects the moon. And in terms of the tournament at New Mexico, Alford had barely gotten out of the atmosphere.

There Goes a 2nd Final Four Pick

That's it. The bracket is going in the shredder.

The 3rd round of the NCAA Tournament started yesterday and the first #1 seed has been eliminated. While Louisville got by Colorado State with ease 82-56, #1 Gonzaga of the West faced off against Wichita State. The Shockers were playing catch up with the Bulldogs in the 2nd half but managed to grab the lead late in the half. They would hold off the Bulldogs and pull off the upset 76-70. Gonzaga is out while #9 Wichita State moves onto the Sweet 16.

A big upset in the second round as Gonzaga can't be trusted again. Analysts didn't think they had the staying power but I thought they could beat the odds anyway. So much for that. Now the Shockers will take on Ole Miss or La Salle in the next round.

The nation's eyes will certainly now be drawn to Wichita State. I, of course, will begrudgingly root against them.

P.S. If they are a Cinderella, then I am a wicked stepmo... okay, maybe a stepfather.

My Picks for the 2013 NCAA Tournament

As you can see, it's time to dance until we're mad. I'm already there and I haven't even gotten up yet.

 

Filling out bracket sheets is fun but I only do one myself. Not because I have honor or like to feign it. It's because it's college basketball and I'm still turned off by the whole NCAA system. But I digress so that I can fill out space on a blog post about a subject I know almost nothing about.

 

That being said, here is my bracket.

 

 

You'll notice the type is really small (unless you click on the picture/bracket) and with the only things legible being the ESPN logos and the All State sponsor. But if you look closely I have picked Creighton, Gonzaga, Kansas, and UNLV for my Final Four. Seems risky with picking two #1's in this crazy year of college basketball but the fact I picked Creighton and UNLV seem even more nuts.

 

My title game has Kansas beating Gonzaga 68-56. When I said on my youtube channel thesportskhansf (selfish plug) that I think Gonzaga can go far, I meant it. At least I'm consistent in my lunacy. But I think the Bulldogs will fall short of the national title with the Jayhawks spoiling the fun.

 

Well, hope you all will be able to fill out your brackets in time and be able to watch some of the action. I will be following the results feverishly.

 

P.S. Watch actual basketball games be played out? I'm not that Mad.