Friday, March 20, 2015 
Issue # 4.1.2 "Day of Calm"
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REDONDO BEACH, CA (smt)- I guess all the excitement was used up as the first 15 lower seeds won with two games decided by three points of less, both of which saw #13MW-Valpo and #13E-UCI falter on the last possession without getting a shot off giving #4MW-Maryland (its 11th straight Round of 64 win) and #4E-Louisville victories.  #2MW-Kansas, #1S-Duke, #5E-Northern Iowa, #7S-Iowa, #1W-Wisconsin, and #11E-Dayton (the only higher seed to win) had comfortable wins while #7E-Michigan St, #2E-Virginia, #7MW-Wichita St, #5MW-West Virginia, #8W-Oregon, #3E-Oklahoma, #8S-San Diego St, and #2S-Gonzaga pulled away late.  Dayton, who played at their home arena for the First Four and in-state for the Round of 64 (and now Round of 32) games, made it 5 straight years a First Four team has won at least two games.  I didn't see many games (followed on phone) but apparently didn't miss much (did see the ends of the Valpo and UCI debacles).  I guess the only interesting thing is we will get the Kansas-Wichita St matchup people have been talking about.

We now have 161 entries and expect it to stay that way.  Because the lower seeds won 23 straight games, that meant The Flying Elvi won 23 straight, a HWCI NCAA record.  He is in a 5-way tie for first (56 pts, 28-4) with Miller Time!, Bucksilious, Gaucho-at-heart, and TURNOVER PRONE.  Interestingly, Ken G's other entry, TURNOVER PRONE UPSET, is tied for last (36 pts 18-14) with FASAMO and Flip Fighters.  The other big news is that for the first-time, someone went a perfect 16-0 on Day 2.  And six did so.  And the six who did (Ceasefire (6th-Tied, 54 pts); BigBlue, The Rebounding Dead, and LuckyNumberSlevin (19th-T, 52); Bigtenfan (43rd-T, 50); HH (74th-T, 48)) are not in 1st place.  But Ceasefire is riding the longest winning streak, after going 5-5 to start he's won 22 straight.  Unfortunately, all six will lose the next game as #14S-UAB faces #11S-UCLA and none of the six picked either team.

Ninety of 161 entries picked Kentucky while 26 picked Arizona and 18 Wisconsin (the two beasts in the West).  No one picked Gonzaga to win the title but 26 did pick them to make the final.  The highest-seeded team picked to win the title was #7MW-Wichita St. (no one picked Kansas to even make the final).  Six picked #7E-Michigan St to make the finals. 

We are now on Twitter (@HWCI_Pools).  Please follow!  I will post using #hwcincaa mini-updates during the day so you can follow without being on Twitter (and if you are, please use #hwcincaa).  Please join our Facebook HWCI NCAA Pool Group or post comments on our blog.  Here you can join the group and meet your competitors, make new friends, set up NCAA watching gatherings, and post stuff to the wall (pictures, witty comments, etc.). 

   Tids & Bits - the ACC and Pac-12 were perfect, going 6-0 and 4-0, respectively... the Big 12 went 3-1 and are now 3-4... no #12 seeds won for the first time since 2007... the 15 top seeds winning matched 2000's effort... 28 other went 15-1 today which was the old record... two went 9-7 today... Louisville coach Rick Pitino is 14-1 in the Round of 64 as a seed 1, 2, 3, or 4... the two entries (Shibai44 and TURNOVER PRONE UPSET) that went 6-10 yesterday tied a record set by Quickpick McGraw in 2008... the Bonus Prize details and prize distribution will be announced next week... 

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Flailing away at meetings...
Scott