Saturday, March 29, 2003
Issue # 11.4.1 "Both Top Cats Fall"
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CERRITOS, CA (smt)- There was criticism that the bracket was drawn so that the top two teams for most of the season, Arizona and Kentucky, would meet in the Semifinal and not the final game. Well, we don't have to worry about that anymore as both were defeated in the Elite 8. #3MW-Marquette came out of the gate shooting the lights out (building a 21-point lead) and unlike their previous game vs Pitt, pushed back a #1MW-Kentucky 2nd half rally before the lead fell below 10 points in routing the #1 team in the country, 83-69. Dwyane Wade had an incredible game with 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists to help snap the Wildcats' 26-game winning streak.

The only region to feature their top two seeds, #2W-Kansas blew a 16-point lead but held out two last second 3-pt attempts, to defeat #1W-Arizona, 78-75. This game featured (after Kansas jumped to a 36-20 lead) consecutive runs of 15-2 Arizona, 18-7 Kansas, and 16-0 Arizona (for a 58-56 Arizona lead) before playing even the last 10 minutes. Kansas makes the Final Four for the 2nd straight year after having years of always falling short of the Big Dance.

Just 13 people went 1-1 today. Already, a record 15 people will go 0-for-the-Final-Four (just 26 of 292 entries have done so before) and we still have two more games tomorrow. Today was one of the most brutal rounds ever. And once, again, all four #1 seeds won't advance to the Final Four and we'll see tomorrow if the streak of at least one #1 seed is broken.

Marquette's win was picked by just two entries, with LUKIE (31st-T, 95 pts) the only one benefiting from it directly (the other, TERMINATOR (34th, 94), is already eliminated) and no real changes in the pool (SHRINER (20th-T, 98) was the only one eliminated). However, Kansas' loss shook up the pool. It nearly guaranteed that MR. WIZARD would win money, gave KRIMSONGUARD (6th, 109) and BIG LUTHER (3rd-T, 112) renewed hope, eliminated 8 entries, and left just five entries eligible for the first place prize of $280. With the top two teams out, points will be scarce to pick up, making it harder to move up. GALAXY (91) sits tied for 41st but can still win first because he has Syracuse winning it all.

MR. WIZARD is nearly guaranteed money with a 93.8% chance of winning money and a 53.1% chance of claiming first. KRIMSONGUARD and BIG LUTHER, who both have Kansas winning it all, each have a 21.9% chance of winning first. BINGO (3rd-T, 112), who will forever be behind MR. WIZARD, has a 56.3% chance of winning money.

As for the Bonus Prize, 30 are still in the running. Here is the latest winningest conference standings. The BIG 12 now will be the winningest conference and currently has 12 wins.

      Teams Curr Max Poss
Conf.  Left Wins   Wins
------ ---- ---- -------
Big 12    3  12    17    KAN, TEX, OKL

# people who have BIG 12 with:
12 wins: 8  
13 wins: 6
14 wins: 8
15 wins: 4
16 wins: 3
17 wins: 1