Saturday, March 15, 2008

Saturday 03/15 (Very) Quickie

Rockets win 21st straight: No matter how they finish the season, no one can take away the history they have made in stringing together the second-longest win-streak in NBA history.

(Can't wait for Rockets-Lakers on Sunday. If Gasol's ankle isn't better, the Rockets could steamroll on -- they've got to be motivated to take down Kobe, right?)

Illinois on a miracle tournament run? They beat Purdue yesterday, and that's not nothing. But it's a long way from getting out of the quarters to winning the championship.

Consider this: While Wisconsin and Michigan State beat up on each other, Illinois gets Minnesota (who upset Indiana at the buzzer) -- the winner one win away from the NCAA Tournament!

(If Illinois wins the Big Ten Tournament, how awesome would it be if the Committee put them in the 64-vs-65 "Play-In" game?)

Indiana shocked, cont'd: If you pick the Hoosiers past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, you are insane. I can't imagine I would pick them to get out of the first round.

Congrats to American University: First appearances in the NCAA Tournament are always amazing. I know the fans are going nuts. They deserve to.

SEC Tournament weather issues: If you have tickets to the semis and finals, good luck with that. Or, you could just watch Tennessee win it all on TV at a nearby sports bar.

Pitt is really good in the Big East Tournament: Reaches 7th final in last 8 years. It's this annual run that always confuses fans into thinking they can do something similar in the NCAA Tournament.

UCLA doesn't have to win the Pac-10 Tournament for me to pick them to win the NCAA Tournament, but they seem to be on that way anyway: They'll be the most popular choice, nationally, I predict. (DS.com CBB POY Kevin Love: 19 and 10)

I think Arkansas earned its way into the Tournament with a win over Vandy; I think Virginia Tech may have earned its way in with a trip to the ACC semis.

Xavier: Wow. So much for that bandwagon. Then again, the Musketeers have a way of saving their best for the NCAA Tournament. (Still... to be shut down that harshly by St. Joe's? Oh, I think St. Joe's gets in as an at-large with that win.)

I'm a little down on the conference tournaments this year, but I'll still spend the weekend watching college hoops... it's all about trying to make sense of the contenders, the potential Cinderellas and everyone in between.

-- D.S.

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