SoCalHoops NCAA Tourney News

NCAA Tourney:  First Day, First
Eight Game Results--(Mar. 14, 2002)

The first half of the first day is done, and we got to see most of the action but missed the Oregon game.  Evidently CBS paid the NCAA a ton of money so their local affiliate here in Los Angeles could show "The Price is Right" and "Judge Judy" rather than the Oregon v. Montana first round game, one which most fans in the West would have preferred to see.  We can only hope that we don't have to sit through a showing of ET! instead of the Duke v. Winthrop game tonight..... Anyway, we're only 5-3 overall with our picks, not bad, but not great either.   So far no bracket killers yet, but the No. 12 Missour win didn't help.....And Kent State??? Yeow...

Game 1--No. 10 Kent State v. No. 7 Oklahoma State      9:20 a.m. PST--South Region

Result: Kent State 69, Oklahoma State 61

Our pre-game pick:   We're going with Oklahoma State and Eddie Sutton and OK State's Maurice Baker, even though Kent State is on an 18-game win streak. If Baker's ankle is still bothering him, this could spell trouble, and Trevor Huffman, Kent State's 6'-1" senior guard is a high scorer for the Golden Flashes, but we still like Oklahoma and the tougher schedule they've had. KSU may have upset Indiana last year in the first round, but it won't happen again....

Post game analysis: How could we have been so wrong????  Never doubt the team with the hot hand. And Trevor Huffman is a lot better, a lot better, than we thought he was going into this game.  Kent State could give Alabama some problems....

Our score:  0-1

Next game: (10) Kent St vs. (2) Alabama, Sat. Mar 16, 4:50 p.m. PST

Game 2--No. 13 Valpariaso v. No. 4 Kentucky     9:25 a.m. PST--East Region

Result:  Kentucky 83, Valparaiso 68

Our pre-game pick:  Kentucky. Tubby Smith may have lost control of this team and he may be on the way out the door if the rumors we're hearing prove true, but this is still a much more talented team than most people give them credit for.  Dominguez grad Tayshaun Prince is still there and he will lead this team to the win over Valpo, which may have won the Mid-Continent tournament this year behind Lubos Barton, the 6'-8" power forward who will one day play for money, but Kentucky is going to advance. 

Our score:  1-1

Next Game:  (12) Tulsa vs. (4) Kentucky, Sat. Mar 16, 2:38 p.m. PST

Game 3--No. 12 Missouri v. No. 5 Miami-Florida     9:40 a.m. PST--West Region

Result: Missouri 93, Miami 80

Our pre-game pick:  We like the sentimental pick Missouri a lot, but we've got to go with our heads on this one and will pick Miami.   At 24-7 this season, the Hurricanes beat Indiana, and went 10-6 in the Big East, but they have Darius Rice.  This season has been a huge disappointment for Quinn Snyder, and there are rumors he will leave for Washington, his players have been booed on their home court, and generally other than Kareem Rush, the Tiger's have not had a great year. Look for Miami to advance.

Post Game Analysis: Never doubt the kids from SoCal....Travon Bryant and Wesley Stokes played well and combined for 20 points.  We should have known better than to pick Miami. Rafael Berumen got 1 minute in the game and scored one point for the Canes.

Our score:  1-2

Next game: (12) Missouri v. (4) Ohio St, Sat. Mar 16, 12:20 p.m  PST

Game 4--No. 10 Pepperdine v. No. 7 Wake Forest     11:42 a.m. PST--Midwest Region

Result:  Wake Forest 83, Pepperdine 74

Our pre-game pick:The Demon Deacons lost to Duke, Maryland, Kansas and Cincinnati, but beat Marquette. They have Darius Songaila, a big power forward who played for the Lithuania team that almost upset the U.S. team of NBA all-stars in the Sydney Olympics, but they're going to lose this one to the Waves. Don't tell us that beating USC and UCLA in the same season doesn't mean anything. Pepperdine also beat Gonzaga and Paul Westphal is one of the best coaches in college basketball right now.  We like the boys from Malibu, so we're going with Pepperdine.

Post Game Analysis: Talk about a meltdown.  The game was tied with 1:24 to play, but then Pepperdine started forcing shots, and Wake Forest didn't, and before you know it, the game was well out of reach.

Our score:  1-3

Next Game: (7) W Forest vs. (2) Oregon, Sat. Mar 16, 2:30 p.m. PST

Game 5- No. 15 Florida Atlantic v. No. 2 Alabama     11:50 a.m. PST--South Region

Result: Alabama 86, Florida Atlantic 78

Our pre-game pick:  Alabama.  In a landslide.   We're not nuts.  Even though the Crimson Tide lost to UCLA, Alabama is going to wallop Florida Atlantic in this first round game. Alabama has beaten Florida and Auburn in the SEC tournament, but lost in the final to Mississippi State.  Erwin Dudley has had 14 double-doubles and Florida Atlantic has no one who can board with him.  Well, ok they have Reaheim Brown a 6'-10" forward who is averaging 17 ppg and 9 boards.....Sure everyone should be scared about these 2 vs. 15 matchups, but this is a team which lost by nearly 30 to Miami. And it's their first trip to the tournament.    Pick em if your brave or foolhardy, but we're going with Mark Gottfried's team on this one.

Post Game Analysis: Well, it wasn't a landslide, and Alabama had to make a run for it after trailing early, but at least we got the winner right on this one.

Our score: 2-3

Next game: (10) Kent St vs. (2) Alabama, Sat. Mar 16, 4:50 p.m. PST

Game 6--No. 12 Tulsa v. No. 5 Marquette     11:55 a.m. PST--East Region

Result: Tulsa 71, Marquette 69

Our pre-game pick:  Tulsa is 26-6 this season and we really like them a lot.   Do we like them enough to take out No. 5 Marquette?  Yes.   Call us crazy, call us stupid, but we think the Golden Hurricane can pull this upset off.   The matchup will be Greg Harrington v.s Dwayne Wade. We like Wade and what Crean has done with the Golden Eagles but we're picking Tulsa.

Post Game Analysis: This was a great game, close the whole way, and a two point game at the buzzer.  Tulsa gets the tough roll in to go ahead by two and then Marquette shoots an airball with 3 seconds on the clock to lose it. Oh well, Crean has done a remarkable job with this team and they'll be back.

Our score:  3-3

Next Game:  (12) Tulsa vs. (4) Kentucky, Sat. Mar 16, 2:38 p.m. PST

Game 7--No. 13. Davidson v. No. 5 Ohio State     12:10 p.m. PST--West Region

Result: Ohio State 69, Davidson 64

Our pre-game pick:  Ohio State.  Davidson is a really smart team, but they ought to be smart enough to figure out they are not likely to beat Ohio State in this one. At 21-9, they beat Furman to get the trip to the tournament, winning the Southern Conference tournament, but are they the best team in their conference? They lost to Duke 106-71 and beat North Carolina back when everyone thought that was a big deal, but who hasn't beaten North Carolina this year?  Ohio State is 23-7, had huge wins over Louisville and Pittsburgh, and have a great point guard with Brian Brown.  Ohio State.

Post Game Analysis: Score one more prediction in our "w" column, although this was a much much closer game than we had imagined.  We feel bad for Wayne Bernard, the San Diego Horizon alum who had a chance to tie the game but missed a finger roll lay up.   Looking forward to Ohio State vs. Missouri on Saturday.

Our score:  4-3

Next game: (12) Missouri v. (4) Ohio St, Sat. Mar 16, 12:20 p.m  PST

Game 8 --No. 15 Montana v. No. 2 Oregon     2:10 p.m. PST--Midwest Region

Result:  Oregon 81, Montana 62

Our pre-game pick: Oregon.  Period.  Say good night, Grizzlies.

Post Game Analysis: Oregon had 5 players scoring in double figures....pretty impressive.  Much less impressive was frigging CBS... One minute we're looking forward to watching this game, leave the room for a second and it's "The Price is Right" followed by "Judge Judy."    A $2 Billion contract with the NCAA, and CBS shows The Price is Right?  Is this a joke?????

Our score:  5-3

Next Game: (7) W Forest vs. (2) Oregon, Sat. Mar 16, 2:30 p.m. PST

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