LAX/CERRITOS, CA (smt)- So this was the day I was on a plane all day from Boston to LA and missed #5E-USC trouncing #4E-Texas and sending Kevin Durant to the NBA and getting revenge on the Texas win over USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl.  Oh, well. There's always next weekend.

#1MW-Florida, #1W-Kansas, #2S-Memphis, #3MW-Oregon, and #4W-Southern Illinois couldn't rout their opponents but kept their distance for most of the game in comfortable victories.  #5S-Tennessee outlasted #4S-Virginia while #7MW-UNLV upset #2MW-Wisconsin.  This leaves the Big 10 with just one team out of six (Ohio St.) and ACC with just one (!) of 7 (North Carolina) in the Sweet 16 .  The Pac 10 and SEC lead the way with 3 teams each.  This is the first time since our first HWCI NCAA Pool in 1995 that no double-digit team is dancing in the Sweet 16.

It's kinda sad the Kentucky-Kansas match is now just a "ho-hum" game.  In most years, this is a battle of two powerhouses.  Now it's one sided.  And Memphis still hasn't been tested despite a 24-game winning streak.

SNOOP'S DOGS (5th, 90 pts) and MARISSA&MATTHEW (21st-Tied, 84) led the way with a 7-1 record but it's DC944 (who lost Texas in his Final 2) and THAI SPICE who are on top of the standings (DC944 for the fourth straight day but note that LILPQ led for five straight days in 2001 but eventually finished 13th) with 97 points.  The 97 points set a new HWCI NCAA record after two rounds.  The previous record of 90 (last set by two entries in 2003) was also topped by VAN&SAM (94) and BIG HURT (92).  SNOOP'S DOGS also got tied a record (originally set by LOSER WHO WOULDN'T PICK UCLA way back in 1995) with 14 of 16 Sweet 16 teams correct.  MARINOMAC (26th-T, 83) got his first 10 Sweet 16 teams correct (first 2 today) before missing 5 of the last 6 starting with UNLV's win.  Thirteen pegged USC's upset over trendy choice Texas and just six had UNLV going to the Sweet 16.

YOBLING (69th-T, 76) got just 2 of 8 correct while three got 7 of 16 Sweet 16 teams.  SOURCE is last though with 59 points.  Texas was picked by three to win it all while two had Wisconsin as their champ and KRISTY IMAHOOCHIE (60th-T, 77) had Washington St.  This still leaves 59 with all Final Four teams alive and 19 with all Elite 8 teams in contention. 

We now know who is officially eliminated from the top 4 money spots.  Just 13 can't finish in the top 4 including our defending pool champion.  Unfortunately, no one heeded his nickname, DON'T PICK MY GATORS (60th-T, 77), as enough people did (coupled with losing his finalist Texas) to prevent a back-to-back winner (hey, maybe that's good news for those rooting against Florida, who's been winning everything lately).  Fifty-seven (57) can still win first, believe it or not.  I guess the bracket was wide open. 

EECHICK (86), despite being tied for 11th, can't finish higher than 2nd.  CHUMBALLS (71), despite being tied for 86th, can still win it all.  Even further down, DAVYESPY (65) is 32 points off the lead and in 96th place but still can finish 4th.  Of the 85 entries still alive, THAI SPICE has almost a 50% chance for some money and a 20% to win it all.  BUZZER BEATER (77th-T, 75) has just a 2 in 32,768 chance to win 4th place.

On Tuesday, we will have finalized the official entries which hopefully will still be 98. The prizes will be also announced on Tuesday as well as an explanation to the newbies what the Bonus Prize (for most conference wins) is all about. Curious? Check out last year's explanation (which will be the same as this year's). We may tweak the prize structure for the first time since we introduced the Bonus Prize in 2003 due to the fact no one has won the Bonus Prize since the past two years.  Stay tuned.