CERRITOS, CA (smt)- #2W-Connecticut jumped to an early 32-18 lead en route to dismantling #3MW-Georgia Tech, 82-73. Sloppy play and poor free throw shooting by the Yellow Jackets only helped a subpar UConn build a 25-point lead (60-35) in the 2nd half. Curiously, Georgia Tech tried to get back into the game without fouling a poor free throw shooting UConn team- and came sort of close, getting within eight, 78-70 in the final minute. But too little, too late. UConn wins its 2nd title in six years and follows Big East comrade Syracuse, who won last year.

UConn's win was picked by 11 entries and enabled FABIO (1st, 137 pts) to win the pool in his third try, overtaking RANDOM PICKS (128) who fell from 1st to 4th place. OMG moved from 4th to 2nd and THE MIGHTY MOBELFAKTA took 3rd over BINGO (6th, 124), who entered the Final Four weekend with 7 of 8 winning possibilities. RANDOM PICKS is only the 3rd entry ever to win a top prize without picking the correct champion (he had Duke) when others have picked the champion (i.e., the other 8 lost out), and he did so by only one point over SHRINER, who had UConn. Looking over SHRINER's picks, he had both Arizona and Washington winning their 1st round games--- had he got just one of those correct, he'd be $80 richer. Odd Stat of the Day: GEORGIA BOI (50th, 98) had only one correct in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th rounds (UConn)- only the third time that has happened (CARSERONI and JAYBIAN IV in 2000 with Michigan St.)

The first half was frantic but the second half started very sloppily and slowly, with the 100-point mark barely hitting halfway through the 2nd half. But the points picked up (Tech started hitting three's) and the final total of 155 passed nine entries and landed in the range for BUCKEYE MIKE (44th, 100), who won the Bonus Prize (ACC with 14 wins), his first win in nine years. An amazing five entries picked 155. In the previous eight years (no tiebreaker in 1995), only 3 entries have ever correctly guessed the tiebreaker total. Congrats to all who won and thanks to all who played.

--------
The entry Okafor's Armada finished 9th...
Scott