NCAA Tournament Reactions: Part 1

The first weekend of the NCAA Tournament is done, and there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth (most of it from East Lansing, Michigan).  Here are just a few of my reactions from the big weekend, saving my favorite for last:

- The ACC was pretty dominant.  They went 12-1, with the only team failing to make the Sweet 16 being those perennial tournament disappointments, the Pitt Panthers.  The conference is set to make $30 million thanks to this, which I imagine will be shared amongst the entire ACC.  So, you are welcome BC.

- So the ACC has been great.  The Pac-12?  Not so much.  Only 1 of the 7 Pac-12 teams has made it to the Sweet 16, and that is Oregon.  Hell, only 2 made it out of the Round of 64, with Utah advancing before getting trounced by Gonzaga.  The Ducks now have to face a very good (and very hate-able) Duke team, who is very capable of upsetting the #1 seed.

- No one made the first weekend of the tournament as much fun as Northern Iowa.  They managed to advance over Texas on one of the best buzzer beaters in the history of the NCAA tournament, a half court bank of the backboard.  Then, as triumphant as that was, their epic collapse in the final 40 seconds vs Texas A&M was as heartbreaking as it was entertaining.  Losing a double digit lead within the final minute to force double OT is insane.  I'm going to miss those UNI Panthers, cause they bring the Madness to March.

- Kansas and UNC have played the part of favorite very well.  They haven't really struggled, but it has also been clear they have yet to give their best effort.  Since they will now be playing tougher games (Maryland and Indiana, respectively), it will be interesting to see if they will be able to turn on the jets and go into overdrive.  They will need it to keep winning.

- Villanova made it to the 2nd weekend!  They are a very good team.  They could win it all, though the possibility of facing Miami and then either Kansas or Maryland is certainly not an easy road.

- Middle Tennessee State.  What else do I really have to say?  They shocked the world and destroyed many a bracket by beating Michigan State.  It was a fairly dominant game, too.  They cause massive eruptions of joys on their own campus, as well as UVA's and a certain other school...

- SYRACUSE IS IN THE SWEET 16!!!!  Yes, my beloved alma mater handled both Dayton and Middle Tennessee State rather easily.  It is pretty crazy, since so many people in the national media hated the fact that we were put into the tournament.  Well, to paraphrase "Lord of the Flies", sucks to their collective assmar!  I got very tired of hearing every single journalist or talking head with an ax to grind against Cuse bashing our record.  Look, Syracuse had 5 wins vs the RPI Top 50.  They played in (clearly) the best conference in all of NCAA basketball.  They deserved to be in the tournament more than some other teams like Vanderbilt.  And then, my boys actually showed up and beat the teams put in front of them.  What more could you ask for?

I don't know if Syracuse can make it to the Elite 8.  Gonzaga is the kind of team that could give us massive fits, since they are as big as us up front and can shoot.  But even if Gonzaga does win, I still get until Friday night to rub the faces of every naysayer that doubted Cuse should be in the dance.  It is beautiful.



Enjoy the second weekend of the tournament, everyone!