ROSEMEAD & CERRITOS, CA (smt) - In the first semifinal, #5W-Butler had the luxury of playing at home in Indy and used the energy to literally hold off #5MW-Michigan St., 52-50 in one heck of an ugly game.  From 12:18 til the end of the game, the Bulldogs made just 1 of 13 field goal attempts (including a 10:43 drought), missed three free throws (including a front end of a one-and-one), and committed four turnovers.  However, for the Spartans, from 10:59 til the end of the game, they made just 2 of 11 field goals, missed three free throws (though the last intentionally), and committed four turnovers.  Just 14 field goals made in the 2nd half for both teams combined.  Maybe it was great defense, but some of it was pretty pitiful with ugly passing and forced drives that resulted in blocked shots. 

In the nightcap, #1S-Duke hit 13 threes and never let #2E-West Virginia get close in a 78-57 rout.  Jon Scheyer led the way with 23 points and 5 threes.  Duke is in the final for the first time since 2001, which seems like an eternity if you're a Duke fan.

Twenty-two picked Duke to win (obviously, no one picked Butler) which resulted in You're My Boy Blue moving up to the top with 116 points and at least a 2nd place finish.  Blue Devil Blues is tied for 2nd with 114 points but can take first if Duke wins Monday.  Hummeless (2nd-T) is the 3rd and final entry guaranteed money and will finish either 2nd, 3rd, or 4th.  All three are first-time winners and all have been in the pool at least 7 years.  There are three vying for two spots in either scenario on Monday.  Duke's win eliminated four entries, leaving the nine.

In the Bonus2 race, 47 entries have a chance to win if Butler wins and 48 entries have a chance to win if Duke wins.  At the extremes (regardless who wins), StripClubBuffet (99th-T, 79) wins if the total points in final is less than 112 and Barnikow (103rd-T, 77) wins if the total is more than 172. #1 who is tied for second-to-last place (63) can win the $40 Bonus if the total points is exactly 119.

We seem to be channeling 2006.  Three of the four winners that year (1st (Another Two-Peat (5th-T, 107), 3rd (Jinx (5th-T, 107), and 4th (The Pride of Troy! (4th, 110)) can still win money (2nd place Jake P did not play this year).  But beyond that, more coincidences are found.  This year had the lowest % of Final Four teams picked since 2006.  This year had the lowest % of Finalists picked since 2006.  This year will have the lowest % of champion picked (regardless who wins) since 2006.  This year had the lowest % of entries alive in the Final Four since 2006.  This year will be the lowest point total average and lowest win average ever (previous low... 2006).  So it seems like these three only do well when most brackets are totally busted (as it was in 2006 when #3 Florida beat #2 UCLA; and #4 LSU and #11 George Mason also made the Final Four).  Another wrinkle?  Eros (13th, 103) will win money for the first time in our NCAA pool if Duke wins; but she did win our World Cup pool in... you guessed it, 2006!