I honestly calculated the scores yesterday, but just couldn't figure out what to say about the day. Not sure that I have figured it out yet today, but you all deserve to at least see the standings, so I will give it the old college try, which is more than I can say about Miami and St. Peter's.
First of all, nobody picked North Carolina in the Final Four (or St. Peter's for that matter), so the only game of consequence was the Kansas-Miami bout. We actually did have 2 entries with Miami in the Final Four, but that did not come to fruition, and I do not award an "Almost Selection of the Day" award. Given that Kansas was a 1 seed, it wouldn't have been a stretch for the half or so of us that had them in the Final Four, so I am just going to not give the award. I will just say that if you had Kansas, you made up some ground, if you did not, you lost some ground, and leave it at that. The top of the standings stayed mostly the same with Day Yi 2 of Forest Hills, New York, and Jeremy Spuhler of St. Petersburg, Florida, remaining in first and second place respectively, but we have a new entrant in third place, as Dawn Lamb (Keith) of Delray Beach, Florida has risen into the show position.
I point out that since nobody selected North Carolina the North Carolina/St. Peter's game had no consequences in our pool, but it sure did for the bookmakers, especially in New Jersey. See, a New Jersey law does not allow the Jersey books to accept bets on games involving New Jersey schools, and an additional law requires that all futures bets have a winner. So, anybody that made a future bet on North Carolina to win the eastern bracket would have paid out EVEN IF ST. PETER'S WON THE GAME. As it turns out, St. Peter's was not an option, and North Carolina advanced the furthest in the tournament in that quadrant. I thank my friend Todd Betzag of Tampa, Florida (not in the pool) for circulating the story, which can be found, HERE. The article also mentions just how much money sports books stood to lose on a St. Peter's victory.
Our champions list remains the same, with only Kansas in play today. Our champions are: Auburn, Arizona, Baylor, DUKE, Gonzaga, Illinois, KANSAS, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas Tech, VILLANOVA, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin.
Since the games were SOOOOOO bad yesterday, my heart just really isn't in it to add a history section. I try my best to let the outcome of the games, or a play, or player, or team dictate what story I bring forth in this write-up, and I really hope the connection between on the court and the tournament memories are understandable, or at least you can see them. Today, I feel like if I wrote anything about North Carolina, Kansas, Miami or St. Peter's, it would just seem forced.
But, you all deserve something for putting up with my updates (hell, for just reading the rules), so in lieu of a story, I am just going to ask a tournament trivia question, which was posited to me by Silas Nichols of Washington, D.C. (answer to come in the next update, or maybe just later this week). And, if I get enough responses via comments on the blog, I may make this a regular/semi-regular addition to the update.
Three people have won the NCAA basketball championship as both a player and a coach. Can you name them?
As far as on the Court ...
Players of the Day
Honorable Mention. Justin Moore, Villanova - He didn't play yesterday, but the official news of his torn Achilles might have more effect on the Final Four than anything that did happen yesterday. His surgery reportedly went well according to Villanova Coach Jay Wright.
5. K.C. Ndefo, St. Peter's - Ndefo finished with 10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 6 blocks. That is filling up the stat sheet for a team that lost 69-49 (and it wasn't that close).
4. Brady Manek, North Carolina - Finished with 19 points (on 7-11 shooting, including 4-6 from three-point range) and 8 rebounds, even chipping in 1 assist in North Carolina's victory.
5. Ochai Agbaji, Kansas - Another stat sheet stuffing performance by the first-team All-American as he scored a game-high 18 points, had 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals.
2. Armando Bacot, North Carolina - Scored 20 points and had 22 rebounds. 22!!!
1. Christian Pulisic, USMNT - Scored a hat trick as the US Men's National Team annihilated Panama 5-1 and put the national team on the brink of qualifying for the World Cup. So long as the US loses by 5 goals or better against Costa Rica on Wednesday night (or ties or wins the game), the US will qualify for Qatar.
Stats of the Day
5. K.C. Ndefo from St. Peter's had 6 blocks, giving him 14 for the tournament. Ndefo is 6'7", 195. By contrast, Mark Williams from Duke has 16 blocks in the tournament and he is 7'1", 245.
4. Kansas outscored Miami 47-15 in the second half!
3. The four schools in the Final Four have won 9 of the last 20 titles! (Duke - 3, North Carolina - 3, Villanova - 2, Kansas -1)
2. Armando Bacot of North Carolina had 22 rebounds!!!
1. Christian Pulisic had a hat trick against Panama, scoring 3 of the 5 goals for the US.
Best Social Media Posts
2. Bill Walton on twitter (possibly - or I just made it up) - This game is HORRIBLE!!!
1. Charles Barkley on twitter (possible - or I just made it up - Just TURRIBLE!
STANDINGS
Remember, please double-check your scores, and let me know if you think I made a mistake.
1. Day Yi 1 - 105 - DUKE/ VILLANOVA
2. Jeremy Spuhler - 93 - DUKE/Auburn
3. Dawn Lamb (Keith) - 92 - KANSAS/DUKE
4. Javier Rodriguez 2 - 91 - Gonzaga/Arizona
5. Bill Ganoe 3 - 87 - Arizona/Gonzaga
6. George Fox 1 - 84 - Gonzaga/Iowa
Jeff Plamondon 1 - 84 - KANSAS/Kentucky
8. John Hopps - 80 - Baylor/KANSAS
George Walks 2 - 80 - Arizona/Gonzaga
10. Sean McInerney 2 - 79 - Arizona/Kentucky
Allison Parker - 79 - Gonzaga/KANSAS
George Walks 1 - 71 - Arizona/Purdue
13. Rich Samuels 1 - 78 - VILLANOVA/Gonzaga
Jonathan Wasserman - 78 - Arizona/Kentucky
Justin Yung - 78 - DUKE/Auburn
16. Colonel Kareem Montague - 77 - Arizona/Gonzaga
Ron Stewart - 77 - KANSAS/Gonzaga
Josh Zdrowak - 77 - Arizona/Baylor
19. Scott Bieterman 1 - 76 - Gonzaga/Arizona
Alyssa Hopps - 76 - Gonzaga/Arizona
Arlene Amo Hopps - 76- VILLANOVA/Purdue
Scott Kroesen - 76 - Arizona/Gonzaga
Jessica Samuels - 76 - DUKE/Auburn
Mike Wolff - 76 - Gonzaga/Arizona
25. Bill Ganoe 1 - 75 - Baylor/Arizona
Biscuit Zdrowak - 75 - Gonzaga/Tennessee
27. Justine Frank - 74 - Gonzaga/Wisconsin
Silas Nichols - 74 - Gonzaga/Arizona
Ryan Rodriguez - 74 - Baylor/Auburn
Steven Usma 1 - 74 - Arizona/Gonzaga
31. Brent Bellinger 2 - 73 - Gonzaga/Tennessee
Mac Kroesen - 73 - Arizona/Gonzaga
Steven Usma 3 - 73 - Gonzaga/VILLANOVA
34. Guy Hughes - 72 - Arizona/Kentucky
Blake Jackson - 72 - Kentucky/VILLANOVA
Chris Simmons - 72 - KANSAS/Gonzaga
37. Quinn Jackson - 71 - Gonzaga/VILLANOVA
Sean McInerney 1 - 71 - Gonzaga/KANSAS
Brian McMahon - 71 - Kentucky/Tennessee
Dave Piasecki 1 - 71 - VILLANOVA/Gonzaga
Steven Usma 4 - 71 - KANSAS/DUKE
42. Braeden Helland 3 - 70 - KANSAS/Alabama
Javier Rodriguez 3 - 70 - Arizona/Gonzaga
44. Rachel Bornn - 69 - Gonzaga/Tennessee
Mark Holbert - 69 - KANSAS/Kentucky
Chris Kroesen - 69 - KANSAS/Gonzaga
47. Paul Cummings 1 - 68 - Arizona/Gonzaga
Larry Green - 68 - Arizona/Gonzaga
Kevin Kroesen - 68 - Gonzaga/Auburn
Hannah Sosa - 68 - Auburn/Baylor
Steven Usma 2 - 68 - Gonzaga/Arizona
Amy Zdrowak - 68 - Auburn/DUKE
53. Carolyn Fowler & Jane Reynolds - 67 - Gonzaga/Arizona
Jacey Fowler 1 -67 - Gonzaga/Tennessee
Kline Kroesen - 67 - Gonzaga/Tennessee
Glen Merchant - 67 - Arizona/Purdue
Javier Rodriguez 1 - 67 - Kentucky/Tennessee
Bubba Zdrowak - 67 - KANSAS/Texas
59. Bill Ganoe 2 - 66 - Gonzaga/Auburn
Steph Stewart - 66 - VILLANOVA/Kentucky
61. Jen Armstrong - 65 - Wisconsin/Kentucky
Dawn Lamb (Colbie) - 65 - KANSAS/Texas Tech
Rich Samuels 4 - 65 - Gonzaga/VILLANOVA
Brandon Satterwhite - 65 - KANSAS/Kentucky
Jamie Toole - 65 - Arizona/Baylor
66. Brian Hinaman - 64 - Arizona/Gonzaga
Philip Kroesen - 64 - Illinois/Gonzaga
Annette Pritchard - 64 - KANSAS/Gonzaga
Annette Pritchard 2 - 64 - Baylor/KANSAS
Rich Samuels 3 - 64 - Tennessee/Gonzaga
Keith Zdrowak - 64 - Arizona/Baylor
72. Gracie Kroesen - 63 - KANSAS/Gonzaga
Dawn Lamb - 63 - KANSAS/Gonzaga
Kisha Marzouca 1 - 63 - Gonzaga/Tennessee
Sean McInerney 3 - 63 - KANSAS/Kentucky
Barkley Sosa - 63 - Gonzaga/Tennessee
Pepe Sosa 2 - 63 - Gonzaga/Arizona
Katie Zdrowak - 63 - DUKE/KANSAS
79. Brent Bellinger 1 - 62 - Gonzaga/Arizona
Matt Hopps - 62 - Gonzaga/Arizona
Edith Pecan - 62 - Virginia Tech/LSU
82. Braeden Helland 1 - 61 - Tennessee/Baylor
Braeden Helland 2 - 61 - Kentucky/Tennessee
Dan Laishley - 61 - Gonzaga/KANSAS
Ty Leatherman - 61 - DUKE/Arizona
Sasha Moon - 61 - Gonzaga/Arizona
Pepe Sosa 1 - 61 - Kentucky/Auburn
George Walks 4 - 61 - Gonzaga/Arizona
89. Scott Bieterman 2 - 60 - Arizona/Purdue
George Fox 2 - 60 - Gonzaga/VILLANOVA
Alvaro Gonzalez - 60 - Gonzaga/KANSAS
Adam Jorgensen - 60 - Gonzaga/Iowa
Jeff Kroesen - 60 - Gonzaga/Auburn
Amanda Staudt - 60 - Arizona/Gonzaga
95. Paul Cummings 2 - 59 - Gonzaga/Arizona
Marcus Jackson - 59 - Gonzaga/VILLANOVA
Emily Lawson 2- 59 - Gonzaga/Arizona
98. Dawn Lamb (Mitch) - 58 - Gonzaga/Arizona
Emily Lawson 1 - 58 - Gonzaga/KANSAS
100. Daniel Barsky - 57 - Arizona/Gonzaga
George Fox 3 - 57 - Tennessee/Gonzaga
Eric Inge - 57 - Arizona/Gonzaga
Dave Marzouca 2 - 57 - Gonzaga/Auburn
Nancy McInerney - 57 - VILLANOVA/Gonzaga
105. Jenna Finkelstein - 56 - Auburn/Texas Tech
Hilary Kroesen - 56 - VILLANOVA/Gonzaga
Martha Kroesen - 56 - Gonzaga/Wisconsin
Emily Lawson 3 - 56 - Arizona/Gonzaga
George Walks 3 - 56 - KANSAS/Gonzaga
110. Jim Coleman - 55 - Arizona/Kentucky
Carolyn Fowler - 55 - Arizona/Gonzaga
Jane Reynolds - 55 - Auburn/Baylor
William Pujals - 55 - Gonzaga/KANSAS
114. Kisha Marzouca 2 - 54 - Baylor/Auburn
115. Jonathan Cox - 53 - Gonzaga/Tennessee
James Garvin - 53 - DUKE/Arizona
ShaneDog Millionaire Jernigan 1 - 53 - Arizona/Texas Tech
Katie Kollmeyer - 53 - Gonzaga/Auburn
Ashley Poer 2 - 53 - Kentucky/Arizona
120. Dave Piasecki 2 - 52 - Tennessee/Gonzaga
Carl Walker - 52 - Gonzaga/Auburn
122. James Davis - 51 - Gonzaga/Arizona
Miles Jackson - 51 - Tennessee/Gonzaga
124. Jacey Fowler - 50 - Gonzaga/Arizona
Chris LaForte 1 - 50 - Tennessee/Gonzaga
126. Dave Marzouca 1 - 49 - Texas Tech/Auburn
Matt Nieman - 49 - Arizona/Gonzaga
128. ShaneDog Millionaire Jernigan 2 - 47 - Gonzaga/Tennessee
Chris LaForte 2 - 47 - Michigan State/Tennessee
Brittany Sosa - 47 - Gonzaga/Iowa
131. Rich Samuels 2 - 45 - Kentucky/Iowa
Jason Spuhler - 45 - DUKE/Auburn
133. Dave Marzouca 3 - 44 - Arizona/Kentucky
Jeff Plamondon 2 - 44 - Gonzaga/Tennessee
135. Scott Bieterman 3 - 43 - Gonzaga/Arizona
Kingfish Parham - 43 - Gonzaga/Arizona
137. Kisha Marzouca 3 - 42 - Gonzaga/KANSAS
138. Randy Pacheco - 34 - Gonzaga/Arizona
139. Ashley Poer 1 - 33 - Gonzaga/Iowa
140. Dawn Lamb (Quarter) - 30 - Texas Tech/Iowa
141. Day Yi 2 - 28 - Gonzaga/Auburn
You mean head coach and not any ole coach? Kevin Ollie. The others must be from pre-Wooden era.
ReplyDeleteI see a calculation error. Javier in 4th place should be at the top with 391 points! ;)
ReplyDeleteGood catch Day - Yes Head Coach. Not Kevin Ollie.
ReplyDelete