CERRITOS, CA (smt) - In the wild West Region, #5-Butler's Willie Veasley's lucky bounce off the top of the backboard for three and subsequent tip-in for two broke open the game against top-seeded Syracuse (who again was without center Arinze Onuaku) as the Bulldogs went on a late 11-0 run in their 63-59 win.  Butler's 23rd straight win puts them a win away from playing in their hometown (they are the hosts of the Final Four on behalf of the Horizon League).  They'll face #2-Kansas St. who led by three near the end of regulation, the first OT, and the second OT, and finally outlasted #6-Xavier in a wild 101-96 double-overtime victory.  Xavier tied it at the end of regulation on a lucky foul call (or rather non-call just prior) on a 3-point attempt and made all three free throws and tied it at the end of the first overtime on a crazy 35-footer.  K-State's #0 Jacob Pullen hit two 3-pointers and hit 2 free throws in the second overtime.

In the true-to-form East Region, #2-West Virginia didn't need starting point guard Darryl "Truck" Bryant (out of tourney with broken foot) in out-turnover-ing #11-Washington, 69-56.  They'll face #1-Kentucky who turned a 10-2 deficit to darlings #12-Cornell into a 32-16 halftime lead.  This will be the only region where #1 will face #2 as laid out.

The theme for the day was turnovers and missed free throws.  West Virginia somehow won despite 23 turnovers (Washington was no better with 21) but Syracuse (18) and Cornell (15) hurt themselves with these momentum stoppers.  Kansas St. and Xavier had several opportunities to possibly put the game away but the Wildcats were just 19-for-29 and the Musketeers' Terrell Holloway, who hit the 3 clutch free throws to send the game into overtime, was just 5-for-8 before that.

Larzby (96 pts), who is the defending HWCI NCAA Pool Champion, was the only one to get all four games correct to take a two-point lead over You're My Boy Blue and The Pride of Troy! (all 3 have Kansas as their champ, however).  Larzby does have the highest percentage of winning first (20.3%) and the second highest in winning money (56.2%).  On the flip side, Jonna Rocks (98th-Tied, 72) and Marty the Greek (114th, 64) were the only ones to go 0-4 for the day. 

At the end of the day, 51 still have a chance to win money and two dozen can still win the first place prize of $500.  In the race for the $40 Bonus, only six still have a chance for Bonus1 as the Big East is now down to one team.