2019 NCAA Tournament Pool Standings - Sweet Sixteen/Day 2

And we have our first number 1 seed knocked out of the tournament as Auburn is still hitting three pointers against North Carolina.  Auburn has been absolutely red hot as they ran through the SEC tournament before winning their first three games in the NCAA.  North Carolina definitely missed the usual contributions from Nassir Little, who only played 13 minutes after being stricken with the flu.  This was the last collegiate game for Luke Maye, who has left his impression in NCAA Tourney lore with his last second shot to beat Kentucky in what seems like 1967 in the Elite 8, sending North Carolina to the Final Four, which they would win.  It should be noted that it was nice that Luke Maye stayed at UNC long enough for his grandson to see him play.  (Ok - the shot was in 2017).

Auburn likely lost starting power forward Chuma Okeke, however, with a torn ACL suffered late in the game.  That will affect their chances of earning a place in the Final Four.

North Carolina was a champion in our pool, and in the finals and final four in a lot of brackets that did not have them winning it all.  Auburn's run has wrecked a bunch of pools, but not those of Dave Piasecki #1 of Gainesville, Florida, Barkley Sosa of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, Hilary Kroesen of Port St. Lucie, Florida, Arlene Amo Hopps, of Quincy, Massachusetts, Michael Litsey of Los Angeles, California and Samantha Sheehan of Jupiter, Florida, all of whom selected Auburn at least into the Elite 8.  But, none of them had Auburn, Michigan State, Duke and Kentucky yesterday like the joint bracket for Carolyn Fowler and Jane Reynolds of Greenacres, Florida.  They win the "Pick of the Day".

In the second game in Kansas City, the Houston Cougars brought 33 wins into the Sweet Sixteen, but could not make it 34 as Kentucky defeated Houston 62-58.  Houston was a champion in our pool, and a couple of other entrants had them either in the Final 4 or in the finals itself.  The Wildcats took the lead for good on an aptly named  Tyler Herro 3 pointer with 25 seconds remaining.

In the Washington, D.C. regional, Michigan State pulled ahead from LSU to win 80-63 as four players scored in double figures for the Spartans.  In the late game the Duke Blue Devils seem to be playing a "How many games are we going to let our opponents have a tip-in at the basket to tie/win as Virginia Tech's Ahmed Hill missed a tip-in off a missed Ty Outlaw 3 pointer with 4 seconds left that would have tied the game and sent it to overtime.  Duke's Cam Reddish missed the game with an injury, and will be a "game time decision" for tomorrow's game against Michigan State.

Duke, Kentucky and Michigan State survived, but we lost the aforementioned champions, leaving us with 6 remaining.  Our champions - with the 8 remaining champions in bold are:  Duke, Florida, Florida State, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Purdue, Syracuse, Tennessee, Villanova, Virginia.

We are guaranteed to lose one of our champions today as Virginia plays Purdue in Louisville.  Gonzaga plays Texas Tech in the first game from Anaheim.  If watching the games tonight, pay attention to the rims in the KFC Yum Center during the Virginia/Purdue game.  I don't know what it is, but they make an inordinate amount of noise, or at least they did on Thursday night.  I sure hope that they get that fixed before tonight's game.

OK, I admit that I phoned in the history lesson yesterday, but nothing from Thursday's games stood out to me.  With traditional blue bloods Duke, Michigan State and Kentucky advancing, that leaves Auburn for today's tournament history lesson.  Since Auburn's best - and most well known - player is Charles Barkley, I could write about him, but most people know about Barkley (namesake of pool entrant Barkley Sosa in fact).  What you may not know is that this is only Auburn' second appearance in the Elite 8.  So for our trip down memory lane, I give you the 1986 Auburn Tigers, War Eagle, Plainsmen.  A school so good it has 3 nicknames.

Auburn, behind senior sharpshooter Chuck Conners Person (of course a sharpshooter, or Rifleman if you will, is named Chuck Conners), and sophomore Chris Morris finished second in the SEC behind Kentucky.  Person would go on to a prolific 12 year NBA career, notably with the Indiana Pacers were he won Rookie of the Year in 1987.  Despite such a strong season, Auburn lost its opening game in the SEC Tournament to Mississippi State 65-63, and were penalized by earning a 8 seed and being shipped out west.  (This was before the NCAA assigned games via the "pod system" as they do now - which I can explain if anyone wants to know how this works now.

Auburn beat the 9th seeded Arizona Wildcats 73-63 in Long Beach, California, giving them a matchup with the top seeded St. John's Redmen (their mascot then, not now).  St. John's was paced by future NBA Star Mark Jackson, along with Walter Berry, Willie Glass and Matt Brust, but even with that collegiate star-power, St. John's was no match for Auburn which defeated St. John's 81-65 behind Chuck Person's 27 points.  Auburn advanced to the regionals in Houston, Texas, where they first matched up with the 4th seeded UNLV Running Rebels.  who were loaded with talent.  UNLV was led by future number 2 overall pick Armen Gilliam, Jarvis Basnight, Freddie Banks and Gary Graham.  As an aside, Gary Graham played on perhaps the greatest high school basketball team of all-time, the 1981-1982 Baltimore Dunbar High School team consisting of Tyrone "Mugsy" Bogues (Wake Forest/NBA), Reggie Lewis (Northeastern/NBA, Reggie Williams (Georgetown/NBA) and David Wingate (Georgetown/NBA), along with Graham.  Tim Dawson, Keith James and Mike Brown also played collegiately at Miami, UNLV and Syracuse.  This team was so loaded that Reggie Lewis - who became a 2-time conference player of the year at Northeastern, a first round NBA pick of the Celtics, an NBA All-Star and captain of the Celtics - could not even break into the starting lineup.  If you would like to know more about this team, please go read The Boys of Dunbar by Alejandro Danois - it is AMAZING.

But, I digress.  So Auburn handled UNLV 70-63 behind Person's 25 points and 11 rebounds, along with 10 assists for point guard Gerald White.  Armen Gilliam scored 21 and Freddie Banks added 20 for the Runnin' Rebels, but it was not enough as the Tigers advanced to the Elite 8 to face Louisville.

Louisville defeated Auburn 84-76 despite a game-high 23 points from Chuck Person, as all 5 Louisville starters scored in double digits.  Louisville - led by senior do everything point guard Milt Wagner, senior big man Billy Thompson, and freshman phenom and future #1 overall NBA pick "Never Nervous" Pervis Ellison, would go to Dallas and defeat 11 seed LSU and 1 seed Duke to win the national championship.

Auburn has not returned to the Elite 8 until now.

And for now - good luck in your brackets tonight.  Each of tonight's games are worth 8 points.

One note - I apologize to Tara Elliott of Asheville, North Carolina, as I thought her name was Tara Telliott (at least that is what it looked like to me on your bracket).  That has been corrected.

Feel free to double check your scores.  Let me know if you see a discrepancy.  Otherwise, enjoy the start of the Sweet Sixteen.

1 - Measha Williams #3 - 100 - Gonzaga/Virginia

2 - Matt Hopps - 98 - Duke/North Carolina
     Carolyn Fowler - 98 - Gonzaga/North Carolina

4 - Max Macon #2 - 96 - Tennessee/Michigan State

5 - Marcus Jackson - 94 - Virginia/Duke

6 - Ty Leatherman - 93 - Duke/Virginia
      Justin Yung - 93 - Gonzaga/Virginia

8 - Melanie Scherr - 92 - North Carolina/Duke
     Measha Williams #2 - 92 - Gonzaga/Virginia

10 - Max Marion #2 - 91 - Duke/North Carolina

11 - Katie Kollmeyer - 90 - Tennessee/Duke
       Steven Usma #3 - 90 - Kentucky/Duke

13 - Mac Kroesen - 89 - North Carolina/Duke
       Steven Usma #4 - 89 - Duke/Kentucky

15 - Chris Kroesen - 87 - North Carolina/Michigan State
       Max Macon #4 - 87 - Duke/Houston

17 - Bill Ganoe #1 - 86 - North Carolina/Duke
       Steven Usma #1 - 86 - Duke/North Carolina
       Measha WIlliams #1 - 86 - Gonzaga/North Carolina

20 - Brian Hinaman - 85 - Duke/North Carolina
       Colonel Kareem Montague - 85 - Virginia/Duke
       Ashley Poer #2 - 85 - Virginia/Michigan State

23 - Scott Bieterman - 84 - Duke/Kentucky
       Paul Cummings - 84 - North Carolina/Duke
       Carolyn Fowler and Jane Reynolds - 84 - Kentucky/Michigan State
       Debbie Igdaloff Nieman - 84 - Duke/North Carolina
       Dave Piasecki #1 - 84 - Florida/Kentucky

28 - Karen Katz - 83 - Gonzaga/Houston

       Philip Kroesen - 83 - North Carolina/Duke
       Silas Nichols - 83 - North Carolina/Michigan
       Barkley Sosa - 83 - Kentucky/LSU

      Brittany Sosa #1 - 83 - Duke/North Carolina

      Steven Usma #5 - 83 - Virginia/Gonzaga

34 - Alvaro Gonzalez - 82 - Duke/Tennessee

       George Walks #2 - 82 - North Carolina/Duke

       William Pujals - 82 - Duke/North Carolina

37 - Alyssa Ave - 81 - Purdue/Michigan

       Dan Barsky #2 - 81 - Duke/North Carolina
       Chad Phillips - 81 - Florida State/North Carolina

       Kyle Sheehan - 81 - Duke/Kentucky
       Amy Zdrowak - 81 - Duke/Virginia

42 - Coby Kroesen - 80 - North Carolina/Duke

       Jonathan Wasserman - 80 - North Carolina/Duke

44 - Sean McInerney - 79 - Duke/North Carolina

       Dave Piasecki #2 - 79 - Florida/North Carolina
       Annette Pritchard #2 - 79 - Duke/North Carolina

       Pepe Sosa - 79 - Kentucky/Michigan State
       Krystal Travers - 79 - Kansas State/Florida State
       Harrington Wax III - 79 - North Carolina/Michigan State

50 - Duncan Merchant - 78 - Duke/Houston

        Rich Samuels #2 - 78- North Carolina/LSU
        Mike Zachary - 78 - Duke/North Carolina

53 - Jacey Fowler #2 - 76 - North Carolina/Florida State
       Adam Jorgensen - 76 - Michigan State/Virginia

       Hilary Kroesen 76 - Kentucky/Gonzaga

       Martha Kroesen - 76 - Gonzaga/North Carolina
       Jason Spuhler - 76 - Duke/North Carolina
       Jeremy Spuhler - 76 - Tennessee/LSU

59 - Arlene Amo Hopps - 75 - Villanova/Virginia Tech
       Michael Litsey - 75 - Michigan/Virginia
       Max Macon #1 - 75 - Virginia/LSU
       Mango Merchant - 75 - Gonzaga/Virginia
       Allison Parker - 75 - Kentucky/Michigan
       Annette Pritchard - 75 - Gonzaga/North Carolina
       Robert Tanen #2 - 75 - Gonzaga/Virginia

66 - Jenna Finkelstein - 74 - Gonzaga/Tennessee
       Eric Inge - 74 - Duke/North Carolina
       Max Marion - 74 - Duke/Virginia

69 - Scott Hansel - 73 - Duke/Kentucky
       Anthony LaPira - 73 - Duke/Tennessee
       Matt Nieman - 73 - Virginia/Gonzaga
       Chris Petit - 73 - North Carolina/Duke
       Jane Reynolds - 73 - Duke/Kentucky
       George Walks #3 - 73 - Florida State/Kentucky
       Wes Wiggins - 73 - Gonzaga/Virginia

76 - Sasha Moon - 72 - Duke/Tennessee
       Traci Sheehan - 72 - Michigan State/Tennessee
       Michael Spicer - 72 - North Carolina/Buffalo
       George Walks #5 - 72 - Gonzaga/North Carolina

80 - Bill Ganoe #2 - 71 - Gonzaga/North Carolina

       Dana Mandelbaum - 71 - North Carolina/Duke
       Jeff Pamondon - 71 - Duke/Tennessee

       Brittany Sosa #2 - 71 - Gonzaga/Virginia

84 - Dan Barsky #1 - 70 - Gonzaga/North Carolina

      Jacey Fowler #1 - 70 - Villanova/Texas Tech

       Ashley Poer #1 - 70 - Duke/Tennessee
       Steven Usma #2 - 70 - Virginia/Michigan State
       Josh and Katie Zdrowak - 70 - North Carolina/Duke

89 - Glen Merchant - 69 - Duke/Houston
       John Santucci - 69 - Kansas/Michigan
       George Walks #4 - 69 - Duke/Virginia

92 - Rachel Bornn - 68 - Duke/Kentucky
       Edy Pecan - 68 - Syracuse/Kentucky

94 - Skip LaForte - 67 - Michigan State/North Carolina
       Max Macon #3 - 67 - Gonzaga/Kentucky

      Cheryl Spuhler - 67 - Duke/Tennessee

       Joshua Zdrowak - 67 - North Carolina/Michigan

98 - Jordyn Sheehan - 66 - Duke/Tennessee

        Samantha Sheehan - 66 - Duke/Tennessee

        Robert Tanen #1 - 66 - Florida State/North Carolina

101 - Jean Calixte - 65 - Duke/North Carolina

         Kingfish Rod Parham - 65 - Duke/Tennessee

         George Walks #1 - 65 - Kansas/Duke

         Biscuit Zdrowak - 65 - Virginia/Michigan State

105 - Abigail Sosa - 64 - Tennessee/Duke

106 - Tara Elliott - 63 - North Carolina/Duke

         James Garvin - 63 - Duke/Virginia

         Rich Samuels #1 - 65 - Duke/Kentucky

         Meredith Tanen - 63 - Gonzaga/Virginia

110 - David Olson - 62 - North Carolina/Duke

111 - Liz Carew - 61 - Kentucky/Duke

        Hilary Kroesen #2 - 61 - Kansas/Marquette

         Ira Schulteis - 61 - Duke/North Carolina

         Hannah Sosa - 61 - Virginia/Duke

115 - Jennifer Armstrong - 59 - Duke/Wisconsin
          Robert Hosmer - 59 - Duke/Virginia

117 - Kline Kroesen - 58 - North Carolina/Michigan

118 - Luis Briones - 57 - Duke/Villanova

119 - Griffey Parker - 56 - Houston/Duke
         Katie Zdrowak - 56 - Duke/Tennessee

121 - Jessica Samuels - 52 - Virginia/Gonzaga

122 - Keith Zdrowak - 48 - Duke/North Carolina

123 - Cubbie Kroesen - 47 - Kentucky/Marquette