Saturday, March 24, 2018

NCAA Tournament Pool - Sweet 16/Day 2

We have a winner!!!  The pool is now over.  OK, not the entire pool but we do have a winner as Ashley Poer of Lake Worth, Florida has clinched last place.  By scoring 0 points yesterday, she has lost all of her remaining teams and can no longer score any points.  This will give her the "Worst Pick of the Day" award, but also her money back!  Congratulations.  What sealed this ... ahem "Victory" ... for Ashley was Griffey Parker of Washington, D.C.'s correct selection of Villanova, which vaulted Griffey over Ahsley.  Don't worry Ashley, we will always have our doubles beer pong title!!!

As far as the basketball action, and its effects on the pool, most people correctly had 2 of yesterday's winners.  Most were some combination of Villanova, Kansas and Duke.  If you had three correct picks yesterday you gained significant ground.  The big difference make yesterday was Texas Tech over Purdue.  Seventeen total entries had the third seeded Red Raiders in the Elite 8.  Of those 17, 9 not only had Texas Tech, but also the aforementioned Villanova, Kansas and Duke.  Those 9 entries -although way more than I would normally like to select - win the "Pick of the Day".  Congratulations to Carolyn Fowler and Jane Reynolds (combined entry), of Wellington, Florida, Day Yi 2, of New York, New York, Chris Kroesen of West Palm Beach, Florida, Joshua Zdrowak of Orlando, Florida, Allison Parker of Washington, D.C., Katie Kollmeyer of Lantana, Florida, Max Macon 3 of Jupiter, Florida, Measha Williams 2 of Houston, Texas, and Cathy Donahoe of, honestly, I don't know (if I had to guess I would say Jacksonville, Florida, but I am not sure).  Now that I look at this in print, that is a lot of people to share an award, so I am giving today's "Pick of the Day" to Max Macon 3 of Jupiter, Florida, as he had all 4 games correct and today is his birthday.  Happy Birthday Max!!!

Since Texas Tech is the outlier of yesterday's winners (Villanova, Kansas and Duke are true basketball bluebloods), today's basketball history focuses on Texas Tech.  We have learned about games, teams, championships, players and coaches so far this tournament, so today's history lesson will focus on one play.  This play is one of the more amazing play's in NCAA Tournament history.  In a second round game being played in Richmond, Virginia, Texas Tech was tied with North Carolina 16-16, with 12:06 left in the first half.  Jason Sasser received the ball on the wing and backed his defender down into the post.  As Sasser went up for a hook, Darvin Ham slashed down the center of the lane.  Sasser's shot missed, and Darvin Ham skied for the rebound over North Carolina's 7'3" center and while dunking the rebound shattered the backboard.  The Tar Heels never recovered after this "Ham Slammich", and the Red Raiders shattered North Carolina.  You can see the play HERE.

Although Ham only averaged 8.1 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game throughout his college career, and although he went undrafted by the NBA, Ham spent 8 years in the NBA (and a few more internationally), even winning an NBA Championship in 2004 with the Detroit Pistons.

We still have only four of the original thirteen different champions remaining, and only 1 is in action today, Michigan.  Those teams will continue to be listed in every update in bold so long as they remain in the pool.  ArizonaCincinnati, Duke, FloridaGonzaga, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Villanova, Virginia and Xavier.  Those that have Michigan in the Final Four are the only entrants that have the chance to earn points today.

As we enter today, Bryan van Gorder Canajoharie, New York and Hollywood, California still leads, but the competition behind him is heating up.  There is a four-way tie for second only two points behind Bryan, and three of those entrants still have their champion remaining, all Villanova.  Three points behind them is a tie for 7th place with our first Kansas champion bracket.  Duke's highest bracket for now is in a T-20, but only 9 points behind the leader, and Michigan's highest champion is T-33, but only 12 points behind the leader, with each of today's games worth 8 points.

Remember to check my math, and let me know if you have any questions regarding your bracket.

On to the standings ...

1.  Bryan van Gorder - 71 - North Carolina

2.  Carolyn Fowler and Jane Reynolds - 69 - Villanova
     Sasha Moon - 69 - Villanova
     George Walks 3 - 69 - Virginia
      Day Yi 2 - 69 - Villanova

6.  Thomas Bean 1 - 67 - Villanova

7.  Greg Kummerlen - 66 - North Carolina
      Jane Reynolds - 66 - Michigan State
       Rich Samuels 2 - 66 - Villanova
       Joshua Zdrowak - 66 - Kansas

11.  Jessica Samuels - 65 - Villanova

12.  Anthony LaPira - 64 - Michigan State
       Ty Leatherman - 64 - Virginia
       Max Macon 4 - 64 - Virginia
       Biscuit Zdrowak - 64 - Michigan State

16.  Carolyn Fowler 63 - Kansas
       Chris Kroesen - 63 - Xavier
       Jacey Fowler 1 - 63 - North Carolina
       Rich Samuels 1 - 63 - Kansas

20.  Kyle Sheehan - 62 - Duke
       Barkley Sosa - 62 - Kentucky

22.  Jen Armstrong - 61 - Michigan State
       Thomas Bean 2 - 61 - Michigan State
       Jim Coleman - 61 - Gonzaga
       Max Macon 2 - 61 - Michigan State
       Brittany Sosa - 61 - Duke
       Steven Usma 2 - 61 - Villanova
       Justin Yung - 61 - North Carolina

29.  Allison Parker - 60 - Virginia
       Cheryl Spuhler - 60 - Duke
       George Walks 6 - 60 - Michigan State
       Josh and Katie Zdrowak - 60 - Villanova

33.  Dan Barsky - 59 - Virginia
       Adam Jorgensen 1 - 59 - Duke
       Katie Kollmeyer - 59 - Villanova
       Traci Sheehan - 59 - Duke
       Steven Usma 3 - 59 - Michigan
       Measha Williams 3 "Spread" - 59 - Virginia

39.  Jenna Finkelstein - 58 - North Carolina
       Albert Harper III - 58 - Michigan State
       Mango Merchant - 58 - Michigan State

42.  Adam Jorgensen 2 - 56 - Michigan State
       Dan Laishley - 56 - Virginia
       Max Macon 3 - 56 - Villanova
       Noel Martinez 2 - 56 - Villanova
       Abigail Sosa - 56 - Michigan State

47.  Steffan Alexander - 55 - Florida
       Bill Ganoe 2 - 55 - Virginia
       Debbie Igdaloff Nieman - 55 - Virginia
       Measha Williams 2 "Upset City"- 55 - Duke

51.  James Garvin - 54 - Villanova
       Steven Usma 5 - 54 - Villanova
       Jonathan Wasserman - 54 - Duke
       Day Yi 1 - 54 - Virginia

55.  Cathy Donahue - 53 - Duke
       Steve Jorgensen - 53 - Arizona
       Pepe Sosa - 53 - Villanova
       Wes Wiggins 2 - 53 - Michigan State

59.  Alvaro Gonzalez - 52 - Michigan State
       Samantha Sheehan - 52 - Duke
       Hannah Sosa - 52 - Florida
       George Walks 2 - 52 - Kansas

63.  Paul Cummings - 51 - Villanova
       Bill Ganoe 1 - 51 - North Carolina
       Noel Martinez 1 - 51 - Duke
       George Walks 4 - 51 - North Carolina
       Wes Wiggins 1 - 51 - Arizona

68.  Kent Armstrong - 50 - Villanova
       Matt Hopps - 50 - Virginia
       George Walks 1 - 50 - Kansas
       Keith Zdrowak - 50 - Duke

72.  Duncan Merchant - 49 - Virginia
       Katie Zdrowak - 49 Villanova

74.  Bill Foman - 48 - North Carolina
       Jacey Fowler 2 - 48 - Cincinnati
       Glen Merchant - 48 - Villanova
       Kingfish Rod Parham - 48 - Kentucky
       Jeremy Spuhler - 48 - Duke

79.  Brent Bellinger - 47 - Virginia
       Colleen Hamilton 1 - 47 - Virginia
       Arlene Amo Hopps - 47 - Villanova
       Mac Kroesen - 47 - Gonzaga
       Edy Pecan - 47 - Michigan
       Measha Williams 1 - "Gut" - 47 - Virginia

85.  Carter Alexander - 46 - Florida
       Joe Carter - 46 - Virginia
       Martha Kroesen - 46 - Villanova
       Steven Usma 1 - 46 - Kansas

89.  Karen Katz - 45 - Virginia
       Silas Nichols - 45 - Arizona

91.  Colleen Hamilton 2 - 44 - Villanova
       Steven Usma 4 - 44 - Duke
       George Walks 5 - 44 - Arizona

94.  Bill Danner - 43 - Virginia
       Max Macon 1 - 43 - Kansas
       David Peterson - 43 - Virginia
       Jeff Plamodon - 43 - Virginia

98.  Eric Inge - 42 - Virginia
       Col. Kareem Montague - 42 - Villanova

100.  Michael Litsey - 41 - Villanova

101.  Amy Zdrowak - 38 - Michigan State

102.  Colleen Hamilton 3 - 37 - North Carolina

103.  Doug Tuttle - 36 - Florida

104.  Griffey Parker - 31 - Xavier

105.  Ashley Poer - 30 - Virginia

Unknown - Matt Nieman - I still need to talk to you about my bracket question! - YES STILL!!!

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