GOLETA/SANTA BARBARA, CA (smt)- #15E-Winthrop (vs. #2E-Tenn), #14W-Xavier (vs. #3W-Gonzaga), #13MW-Pacific (vs. #4MW-BC), and #11W-San Diego St. (vs. #6W-Indiana) nearly pulled off incredible upsets and proved that no team can be taken for granted. All four teams had leads late in the game but couldn't hold on. But four double-digit seeded teams did, as #11MW-Wisc-Milw, #10W-Alabama, #12MW-Montana, and #12S-Texas A&M advanced with the latter sending a resurgent #5S-Syracuse and Gerry McNamara (just 2 pts) home.

#7E-Wichita St, #3MW-Florida (!), #2W-UCLA (Go Bruins!), #4S-LSU, and #5E-Washington rolled to victories while #1S-Duke and #4E-Illinois struggled before pulling away. #8S-George Washington went on a 19-0 run in just 4:14 to rally from an 18-point 2nd half deficit and eventually won in OT. This game and the BC-Pacific (double OT; poor FT shooting BC hitting clutch freebies down the stretch), Zags-Xavier (Adam Morrison 35 pts; Xavier blowing late 6-pt lead) and Winthrop-Tenn (Winthrop actually led 61-60) games were the best of the bunch. Even the 70 minute delay (due to a bomb scare in San Diego) couldn't stop the Bruins (the UCLA variety) from getting the biggest rout of the day. The Big East conference is starting to fall like dominos as Seton Hall, Syracuse, and Marquette lost while the SEC went 4-0.

Unofficially, a record 85 entries were received (3 more than last year)and will result in the biggest 1st Place prize ever. More details once we receive payments (or promise thereof). If you have never participated in our pool before, there is a Bonus Prize for getting the Conference with the most wins (and getting the wins correct). That is why, if you look at your printed bracket, there is a line that says which conference (likely the Big East) and number of wins you chose based on your picks. Clever, eh? No one won last year so the $40 got redistributed back into the top prizes. More details later. I promise. Thereof.

Luckily, BC, Tenn, and Gonzaga survived and everyone's bracket remains in good shape... well, except for ANGRY HAWAIIAN (last, 18 pts) who had #10E-Seton Hall in the Final. IMYOURHUCKLEBERRY and GATORS NEVER CHOKE went 14-2 (28 pts) to tie for the lead. But 59 others are within 6 pts.

Just 7 picked Montana's upset and an amazing 6 almost picked Tenn's loss. The split decision was Seton Hall-Wichita St with 43 getting it right. Duke and UCLA were unaminous decisions. GATORS, BUCKEYE (15th-Tied, 24 pts) and BIX PIX (15th-T, 24) got 3 of the 4 upsets correct. Everyone has at least 7 of their 8 Elite 8 teams intact and just three (aforementioned ANGRY with FABIO (62nd-T, 20) with Marquette and KEEP CHIEF ILLINIWEK (15th-T, 24) with Syracuse) have lost one Final 4 team.

Twelve teams were picked to win it all with #1E-UConn (39) and Duke (19) leading the way. UCLA received 9 mentions with #1MW-Villanova and #3W-UNC picked by 4 each. Thirty-three (33) picked a Duke-UConn final. Besides ANGRY's Seton Hall finalist, other odd picks include three that have #3S-Iowa in the Final, three that have #4S-LSU in the Final Four, four that picked BC in the Final (must've put a scare in them today), and single picks for #7S-Cal, #8MW-Arizona (actually 2 people), #7MW-Georgetown, and #7W-Marquette (oops!).

Sixteen more games tomorrow, hopefully I'll get to see some of them.