VCU Enjoying Time In Their Foursome

((HT: WTVR-TV Richmond))

The Rams got home and they partied...
Here's the early coverage...
 

Okay... So Who Had Butler And VCU

Playing each other...
In Houston...
For a chance at a national title...

That'd be none of us...
But how awesome is that Bill Self has lost to Northern Iowa and VCU in consecutive years...???

Jus' axin'
Here's early returns from downtown Richmond...


Here's Coach Smart with a demurely-dressed ((For him)) Craig Sager...
((HT: CBSSports/NCAA/SI.com))

Butler Does It Again... Another Foursome

((HT: Fox59 Indianapolis))

The Butler Bulldogs returned to Hinkel Fieldhouse in the middle of the night after beating ((notice the HQ didn't say "upsetting")) Florida in the Regional Final Saturday.

You figure a few people would show up...
It was more than a few...
 

The March Through The Madness: It's Butler And UConn

((HT: CBSSports/NCAA))

Although they're not playing each other... yet...

Butler outlasted Florida in one national quarterfinal...
It was another Gus Alert...


And UConn survived Arizona in Anaheim as we sampled another one and done in Arizona's bench...

RVA= The Hoops Capital Of The Free World

((HT: WTVR-TV Richmond))

This is what happens when you let loose FOSG and introduce irony to the equation...
Brother Burton... Front And Center...
 

The HQ is quite fond of the idea that there are as many teams from Richmond left as there are from the Big East...

The March Through The Madness: UNC Survives

((HT: CBSSports/NCAA))

Almost in spite of themselves, North Carolina held on to advance to their 3,427th Round of 16 in the tourney...

They had a big lead, almost lost all of it, and still gave Michigan a chance for the tie at the end before a missed two-pointer that the Wolverines wanted to be a three and/or a foul call...

Neither of which happened...

Here's your highlights...

Butler Does It Again... Another Sweet 16 And Another Controversy

((HT: Fox59/CBSSports/NCAA/TBS))

Okay, just so you have all your information...
Here's the ending with Pitt...


And, yes, the HQ knows about all the hub-bub and hullabaloo, but the bottom line is this: The Big East complains that a game isn't officiated until its end in the post-season conference tournament, and then complains when a game IS officiated until its end in the post-season tournament...???

Can't have it both ways...

Here's Matt Howard after the win...
 

The March To The Madness: Your Daily Gus Alert Goes To George Mason

((HT: NCAA/TNT/youtube))

It was one of those 8-9 games... granted...
Point taken into evidence, but when Gus gets a game that goes down to the wire...

It's vintage Gus...


Viva Larranaga...

NCAA Tournament: Demonte Harper Has ONIONS!!!!!! Morehead State Upsets Louisville

Morehead State's Demonte Harper is a hero in Morehead, Kentucky. Harper's 3-pointer with 4.2 seconds left sent Louisville home.

Here's the game winner with a classic Bill Raftery call. (Thanks Youtube.com/CBS Sports)

The Politics Of Dancing: Belmont University

((HT: WMAZ-TV Macon))

Belmont University is making their fourth trip to the March tournament in the last six years, and they're also the first team in the NCAA to reach the 30-win plateau- before their appearance and subsequent road trip once their place in the Field of 64-Plus-4...

Here's Belmont's highlights in the semi-final against Mercer. It was a closer game than the Final against North Florida...
FOSG Darnay Tripp has the highlights...

The Politics Of Dancing: Morehead State University

Let's face it...

We all just like saying "More Head..."

We get to say it for a little while longer as the Eagles beat Tennessee Tech in the Ohio Valley Conference final...

Here's your highlights, and if you haven't heard of Kenneth Faried- you will and you should have already. He's the nation's rebounding leader...
((HT: MSUEagleAthletics))

Your 64-Plus-One Research Guide

The field is set, and you need to know everything about everyone before the college basketball tournament starts...

Here's who's in and where the HQ goes for their info for the next month or so...

Midwest Region

Kansas- nbcactionnews.com- NBC41/Kansas City
Lehigh- WTXF-TV/MyFoxPhilly
UNLV- ABC13 KTNV/Las Vegas
Northern Iowa- KWWL-TV/Cedar Rapids
Michigan State- WLNS-TV/Lansing
New Mexico State- KRQE-TV/Albuquerque
Maryland- WTTG-TV/MyFoxDC
Houston- Fox 26 Houston
Tennessee- WVLT-TV/Knoxville
San Diego State- Fox5SanDiego
Georgetown- Fox 5 Washington/MyFoxDC.com
Ohio U- WBNS-TV/Columbus
Oklahoma State- newsok.com
Georgia Tech- WAGA-TV/MyFoxAtlanta.com
Ohio State- WBNS-TV/Columbus
UCSB- KCBS-TV Los Angeles

West Region

Syracuse- WSYR-TV/Syracuse
Vermont- WCAX-TV/Burlington, VT
Gonzaga- KHQ-TV/Spokane
Florida State- WCTV-TV/Thomasville-Tallahassee
Butler- WRTV-TV/TheIndyChannel.com
UTEP- KVIA-TV/El Paso
Vanderbilt- NewsChannel5/Nashville
Murray State- WPSD-TV/Paducah, KY
Xavier- WCPO-TV/Cincinnati
Minnesota- MyFoxTwinCities
Pittsburgh- KDKA-TV/Pittsburgh
Oakland- MyFoxDetroit.com
BYU- KSL-TV/Salt Lake City
Florida- ActionNewsJax/Fox30-CBS47
Kansas State- NBCActionNews.com NBC 41/Kansas City
North Texas- KDFW-TV/MyFoxDallas

East Region

Kentucky- WKYT-TV/Lexington
East Tennessee State- WJHL-TV/Tricities.com
Texas- KEYE CBS42/Austin
Wake Forest- WRAL-TV/Raleigh
Temple- WTXF-TV/MyFoxPhilly
Cornell- WSYR-TV/Syracuse
Wisconsin- WISC-TV/Madison
Wofford- WSPA-TV/Spartanburg
West Virginia- KDKA-TV/Pittsburgh
Morgan State- WTTG-TV/MyFoxDC
Clemson- WSPA-TV/Spartanburg
Missouri- NBCActionNews.com/NBC41 Kansas City
New Mexico- KRQE-TV/Albuquerque
Montana- Montanasnewsstation.com
Marquette- WTMJ-TV/Milwaukee
Washington- Northwest Cable News/NWCN.com

South Region

Duke- WRAL-TV/Raleigh
Arkansas Pine Bluff- KTHV-TV/Little Rock
Winthrop- WBTV/Charlotte
California- KPIX-TV/CBS5 San Francisco
Louisville- WDRB-TV/Fox 41
Texas A&M- KBTX-TV/Bryan-College Station
Utah State- KSL-TV/Salt Lake City
Purdue- WLFI-TV/Lafayette
Siena- CBS6Albany.com
Villanova- WTXF-TV/MyFoxPhilly
Robert Morris- KDKA-TV/Pittsburgh
Richmond- WTVR-TV/Richmond
St Mary's- KPIX-TV/CBS5 San Francisco
Baylor- KWTX-TV/Waco
Sam Houston State- KBTX-TV/Bryan-College Station
Notre Dame- WNDU-TV/South Bend
Old Dominion- WVEC-TV/Norfolk

The Monday Morning Sports Update

With a weekend of a lot of little things going on...ok...there were a couple of interesting stories, but there aren't a lot that we didn't cover over the course of the weekend. But in the interest of trying to stay somewhat consistent (as long I don't have to go to work until 11am), here are a few things that happened overnight.

Your First NCAA Qualifier is...

Yes, it is getting to be that time of year in College Basketball. In fact this week would be considered the 1st of the "Tournament Weeks" with most conferences that have tournaments playing them and teams qualifying for March Madness or as we know it, the NCAA Tournament.

The 1st team in....Northern Iowa. The Panthers are in by virtue of beating Wichita State 67-53 in the Missouri Valley

Conference basketball tournament on Sunday.

More from thetelegraph.com RIGHT HERE

Enjoy this clip of students at the school trying to pronounce the players names. Thanks Gazetteonline and You Tube:

George Karl Perseveres....

Best wishes to Denver Nuggets Coach George Karl who will will undergo a sur

gical procedure today (monday) to help his treatment for throat and neck cancer. He'll start another round of chemotherapy starting on Tuesday.

He hopes to return to his team on Friday. We hope so. Karl, one of the better coaches in the NBA has to be struggling to get through this. Chemo is tough on people who don't have physical, stressful job...we can only imagine how tough this is for him.

Karl spoke about the whole thing when he was diagnosed in February.

Thanks You Tube:

UConn Women just keep winning:

It's no secret that the University of Connecticut's women's basketball team has been one of the if not the most successful of any team in the NCAA for the past oh...20 or so years. So it should come as no surprise that they have tied their own record yesterday when they won their 70th game in a row. They advanced in the Big East tournament with a 77-41 win over Syracuse

Yes, it is short of UCLA's 88 game win streak from back in the early 70's, but in this day and time it is pretty damn impressive. The Lady Huskies haven't really been challenged this season, they have a 31-0 record and they've won all of their games by at least 10 points. It would take a monumental upset for them not to run the table and win the Women's Final Four.

More on the team, the win and the significance from the Courant.com RIGHT HERE

Since we can't show highlights from the game (Network restrictions), here is a story on the whole thing from AP News with Photos and a voice track. Thanks Associated Press and You Tube:

One Tar Hell Of A Basketball Season

Little did we know when the College of Charleston defeated North Carolina 82-70 in overtime back on January 4th it would lead to a Carolina collapse. Since then the Tar Heels have lost 10 of 13 games. Sorry Carolina fans, the Heels are in total free fall.

Here we are some 3 weeks from the start of the NCAA Tournament and the topic of conversation in restaurants along Franklin Street in Chapel Hill isn't whether the Tar Heels will get a number one seed or which region Carolina will be placed, it's whether the Heels can make the NIT. The friekin' NIT!!!!!

Chalk this up as to how much of a difference a year makes. A year ago at this time North Carolina was a fine tuned machine on the way to an NCAA Championship. This year someone put a banana in the exhaust pipe and slashed the tires of that machine.

You want real numbers as to how bad it is for North Carolina? The Tar Heels are 14-14 overall, 3-9 in the ACC and tied for dead last in the league with NC State. North Carolina fans are having Matt Doherty flashbacks. (By the way, Doherty is head coach of the SMU Mustangs who are 13-14 overall, 6-7 in Conference USA, in the middle of the pack in the conference. No shot of making the tournament.)

North Carolina has no shot of making the NCAA Tournament unless the Tar Heels win the ACC Tournament and that ain't happening. Heck the NIT is a long shot, but there's always the College Basketball Invitational. The CBI will take losers and would love to have a gold standard program like North Carolina in their 16 team field.

Something tells me North Carolina feels they are above the CBI. I would love to see that championship banner in the rafters of the Smith Center.

Photos Courtesy: Robert Willett/Raleigh News-Observer

Cinderella Still At The Ball

[HT/AP]

Some 23 years later, Cleveland State still has a knack for first-round shockers in the NCAA tournament.

The Vikings raced to an early 17-point lead Friday night and stunned one-time No. 1-ranked Wake Forest 84-69. The win was reminiscent of the Vikings' only other appearance in the tournament in 1986, when they upset Indiana in the opening round.

"We understand what the '86 team did was important for our school," said Norris Cole, who led Cleveland State with 22 points. "But now it's time for a new chapter."

The latest result wasn't as big of a surprise as the win over Bob Knight. The Vikings (26-10) were seeded 14th then; they're 13th in the Midwest region this year. On Sunday, they'll play No. 12 Arizona.

No. 4 Wake Forest (24-7) lost in its first tournament game since 2005. Norris Cole scored 22 points for the Vikings, who committed only six turnovers to 18 for Wake Forest.

"We had to hit them early in order to be in that game," Cleveland State head coach Gary Waters said. "We surprised them. It took them a while to realize what was occurring out there, and then it became a ballgame."

Photo Courtesy: AP

Here's your highlights from CBS Sports:

Lawson's Big Toe Still Hurting

[HT/AP]

North Carolina coach Roy Williams says there's a "huge probability" point guard Ty Lawson won't play in the Tar Heels' NCAA tournament opener Thursday.

Lawson was able to participate in some practice drills Tuesday and Wednesday, but Williams said he wants to see more from the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year before he returns to the lineup from a toe injury.

Lawson jammed his right big toe before the regular-season finale against Duke and missed the Tar Heels' two ACC tournament games in Atlanta last weekend. North Carolina begins its NCAA run Thursday against Radford in the South Regional.

Lawson says he's mainly battling stiffness in the toe that makes it difficult for him to cut in different directions.

This news isn't changing my bracket. Even without Lawson, Carolina's big toe (Remember Sargent Hulka from the movie Stripes), the Heels can handle Radford. After that it might get dicey.

For those who don't know what I'm talking about at about 4:19 you will get clued in.

Can't get enough of that.

Photo Courtesy: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The Politics of Dancing: No Walking In Memphis

These games are in Greensboro on Thursday and Saturday...
Too bad the Pyramid still doesn't host games, but still this region should be fun.

1) North Carolina ((coverage from wralsportsfan.com))
16) Radford ((coverage from WDBJ7))

The Egg Dome versus the Dean Dome. Eggs Break.

8) LSU ((coverage from WBRZ-TV2))
9) Butler ((coverage from WISH-TV))

Intriguing matchup, Butler a perennial Cinderella who you don't want to see this time of year.

These games are in Portland on Thursday and Saturday...

5) Illinois ((coverage from WICD-TV 15))
12) Western Kentucky ((coverage from WBKO-TV))

There is always a 5/12 Upset in this tournament and this is a good a pick as any of them.

4) Gonzaga ((coverage from KHQ/Q6))
13) Akron ((coverage from WOIO-TV))

Gonzaga used to be a Tourney darling, but they are always here, never bet against them early.

These games are in Miami on Friday and Sunday...

6) Arizona State ((coverage from KPHO-TV))
11) Temple ((coverage from CBS3))

If John Chaney were still the coach we'd say watch out. Not this time.

3) Syracuse ((coverage from WSYR-TV))
14) Stephen F. Austin ((coverage from Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel/KTRE.com))

The Overtime men versus the Bionic Men. Overtime wins...in regulation.

These games are in Kansas City on Thursday and Saturday...

7) Clemson ((coverage from WSPA-TV))
10) Michigan ((coverage from WXYZ-TV))

We aren't sure how Michigan is here...they won't be for long.

2) Oklahoma ((coverage from newsok.com))
15) Morgan State ((coverage from WJZ-TV))

Even if it were "Captain Morgan", Oklahoma won't lose to a 15 seed.

This bracket should pretty much hold to form. We'd like to see an Oklahoma/North Carolina matchup in the finals. We wouldn't bet against the Sooners.

Here's your bracket from CBS Sports...

Watch CBS Videos Online

The Politics of Dancing: Hoops Fun In The Sun

There will be no "Pink Taco" mentions here...
Oh, right... we just made one...

These games are in Philadelphia on Thursday and Saturday...

1) UConn ((coverage from WTNH-TV))
vs.
16) Chattanooga ((coverage from WRCB-TV))

UConn got Thabeet... they got Thabeet... they got Thabeet... yeah, they got it...
((Too easy to pass up...))

8) BYU ((coverage from ABC4))
vs.
9) Texas A&M ((coverage from KBTX-TV))

If Texas A&M isn't careful, BYU will lull them to sleep. We think they will...

These games are in Portland on Thursday and Saturday...

5) Purdue ((coverage from WISH-TV))
vs.
12) Northern Iowa ((coverage from KWWL-TV))

Purdue has been hot late in the Ten. Northern Iowa is one of those pain-in-the-ass bunches. If this were the baseball team, they'd be a sentimental pick. We're not that sentimental.

4) Washington ((coverage from KOMO-TV))
vs.
13) Mississsippi State ((coverage from WCBI-TV))

MSU is taking over the "way in the back row-winning the conference tournament" role that UGA did last year. Thus the 13 seed. If the Huskies overlook MSU, Lo Romar is done.

These games are in Boise, Idaho on Friday and Sunday...

6) Marquette ((coverage from WTMJ-TV))
vs.
11) Utah State ((coverage from ABC4))

The Aggies ((we presume with their mascot in tow)) are one of the few teams to win over 30 games this year. Marquette is missing their point guard. You see where we're going with this...

3) Missouri ((coverage from NBC41/KC))
vs.
14) Cornell ((coverage from WETM-TV))

With all apologies to Keith Olbermann- you have no shot...

These games are in Kansas City on Thursday and Saturday...

7) California ((coverage from KPIX-TV))
vs.
10) Maryland ((coverage from WUSA-TV))

Anyone who thought Gary Williams job was in jeopardy early in the year when his AD mouthed off listened to bad advice. Mike Montgomery doesn't give off that "vibe" to win here.

2) Memphis ((coverage from ABC24))
vs.
15) Cal State Northridge ((coverage from KCBS-TV))

Coach Cal thinks his team is better DEFENSIVELY than they were last season. People tend to forget they made it to the title game. El Matador will find out first-hand.

Here's your bracket from CBS Sports...

Watch CBS Videos Online

The Politics of Dancing: The Indy 500-484

We think this is the Midwest region...
These games are in Dayton on Friday and Sunday...

1) Louisville ((coverage from Fox41))
vs.
16) Alabama State/Morehead State

For the first time in recent memory, we don't get the two HBCU schools in Dayton on Tuesday.
Either way, it's a victim for Pitino...
That... and we just like typing the word "Morehead."

8) Ohio State ((coverage from WBNS-TV))
vs.
9) Siena ((coverage from WRGB-TV))

Teams from the Ten are always hard to read. Siena can cause trouble with a high-powered offense. They've been that way since Paul Hewitt was their head coach.

These games are in Miami on Friday and Sunday...

5) Utah ((coverage from ABC4))
vs.
12) Arizona ((coverage from KGUN9))

Arizona has been in the cross hairs as "last in." Those of us at OSG HQ are stomping up and down over the 'Cats in and St. Mary's not in the tourney. The Utes are the pick just as protest.

4) Wake Forest ((coverage from wralsportsfan.com))
vs.
13) Cleveland State ((coverage from 19actionnews))

Where's Mouse McFadden and Kevin Mackey when you need them...? Wake Forest was on the side of a milk carton for the ACC tournament. This will be a good gauge as to where their collective head is. A close win means their visit may not be past the first weekend. A bigger win may mean they'll be around for a while.

These games are in Minneapolis on Friday and Sunday...

6) West Virginia ((coverage from WOWK-TV))
vs.
11) Dayton ((coverage from WHIO-TV))

Huggy Bear, Mountaineers Head Coach Bob Huggins, has led to a resurgence in Morgantown. The team is a certifiable pain in the ass for everyone this season after a slow start. They'll continue against the Flyers- all apologies to Dan Patrick.

3) Kansas ((coverage from NBC Action News/KC))
vs.
14) North Dakota State ((coverage from valleynewslive.tv))

OSG has been on the side of the Travelling Woodsides in their first year of D1 hoops.
Kansas...? As long as it's a warm home for a first-round game, NDSU Head Coach Saul Phillips is a happy man. He said so...

These games are in Minneapolis on Friday and Sunday...

7) Boston College ((coverage from boston.com))
vs.
10) USC ((coverage from KCBS-TV))

The only real reason that the Trojans are in the tourney is their run in the Pac-10 post-season tournament. Boston College had their gut-check win against Georgia Tech at the Conte Forum early in the ACC season. If they can keep their heads screwed on straight for Tech, they can certainly do it for USC.

2) Michigan State ((coverage from WILX News 10))
vs.
15) Robert Morris ((coverage from KDKA-TV))

RMU is going to need a lot more than Robert and Morris to take on a rather-hairless Tom Izzo and the Green. Move on... nothing to see here...

Except the bracket itself from CBS Sports...

Watch CBS Videos Online

The Politics of Dancing: Boston Hoops Party

An Interesting Bracket with your #1 Seed, the Pitt Panthers. Here are your matchups:
These games are in Dayton on Friday and Sunday...

1) Pitt ((coverage from KDKA-TV))
16) East Tennessee State ((coverage from WCYB-TV))

Do we need to go into detail?

8) Oklahoma State ((coverage from news9.com))
9) Tennessee ((coverage from Volunteer TV))

An interesting matchup of 2 wildly inconsistent teams.

These games are in Boise on Friday and Sunday...

5) Florida State ((coverage from WCTV-6))
12) Wisconsin ((coverage from NBC15 in Madison))

FSU is a hot team, they beat Carolina in the ACC Tourney. Not sure how the Badgers are here.

4) Xavier ((coverage from WKRC-TV))
13) Portland State ((coverage from KOIN-TV))

Xavier a perennial tourney team, Portland St. a perennial OSG favorite. No upsets here.

These games are in Philadelphia on Thursday and Saturday...

6) UCLA ((coverage from CBS2 in LA))
11) VCU ((coverage from WTVR-TV))

UCLA is hard to figure, VCU is always tough in this tourney. Look for them to win and Anthony Grant to head to Georgia after the tourney.

3) Villanova ((coverage from CBS3 in Philly))
14) American ((coverage from WUSA9))

Not much discussion needed here.

These games are in Greensboro on Thursday and Saturday...

7) Texas ((coverage from KEYE-TV))
10) Minnesota ((coverage from Myfoxtwincities))

Somewhat of a Tossup. Minnesota has more to gain.

2) Duke ((coverage from WRAL-TV))
15) Binghamton ((coverage from WBNG-TV))

Congrats to Binghamton, enjoy your trip. See you next year.

This region is a bit of a mismash of teams, some good, some bad. When Pittsburgh is on, they are tough to beat. We don't think anyone in this region has enough to knock them off.

Here's your bracket from CBS Sports...

Watch CBS Videos Online