- The Final @ Indianapolis (Lucas Oil Stadium) -
(36-3) #1-West (Los Angeles, CA)	vs.	(34-4) #1-South (Houston, TX)

Saturday, April 4, 2015   *** HAPPY BIRTHDAY BELUCKY2 ***
Issue # 12.5.1 "Revenge is Sweet"
[ Home | Blog  | Twitter | Facebook | Updates ]

FULLERTON/SANTA ANA, CA (smt)- #1S-Duke quickly trailed #7E-Michigan St 14-8 before going on a dominating 36-11 run to easily give Coach K his 9th finals appearance with a 81-61 win.  In a rematch of the 2014 Final Four, #1W-Wisconsin saw #1MW-Kentucky string an 8-0 run to go down 60-56 with 6:37 left but the Badgers answered back with their own 8-0 run to go up 64-60 with 1:06 left.  With perfection slipping away, the Wildcats had an offensive foul, missed a free throw, and shot a 3-point airball as the Badgers advance to the title game for the first time since 1941 with a 71-64 win.  Offensive rebounding, key 3's, and a gift call on a basket after the shot clock ran to zero helped Wisconsin snap Kentucky's 38-game winning streak. While not as young as last year, Kentucky fielded two Freshman, two Sophomores, and a Junior and again ran into a more mature team in Wisconsin (two Seniors, two Juniors, and a Sophomore) like they did last year in UConn in the title game.  Although I needed Wisconsin to win to have any chance at the pot (The Bracket Awakens), I would have loved Kentucky to go 40-0 as history is cool. 

The Bracket Awakens (6th, 131 pts), Buccos 2 (16th-Tied, 126), Flying Ace (23rd-T, 124), and Baba's Bad Boys (23rd-T) all got both teams correct (only 83 have done so before) and all but the latter still have a chance to win money.  But it's Big Luther who jumps Will I Ever Win This for a six-point lead at 143.  Will I Ever Win This had a 28 in 32 chance at money at one point and now has a 1 in 2 chance.  Big Luther will either win 1st (Duke) or 2nd/3rd (Wisconsin) and is the only one guaranteed money while 10 will fight for the remaining five spots. 

So it will either be Darryn B (Big Luther) trying to become only our 2nd two-time champion (Robinson C (Team Samurai) is the other) or Bobby C (BobbyCee'sRacer'sEdge) trying to win the pool or any money for the first time in 4 years.  Darryn won the pool 12 years ago (2003) and has been with us for 14 years.

In the race for the Bonus, the ACC will be the winningest conference with either 16 or 17 wins.  There are 22 eliminated entries that could win the Bonus  with 17 looking at the total points in final tiebreaker if Wisconsin wins (ACC with 16) and 5 looking if Duke wins (ACC with 17).  Note 20 had ACC with 16 wins but 3 will win money if Wisconsin wins and aren't eligible.

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.   

   Tids & Bits - the ACC and Big 10 are now 16-5 and 12-6, respectively... 126 entries have reached 100 points... 99 went 0-2 today... the 1.85 win average in the Elite 8 was the highest since 2008 (record 2.52) and 5th highest overall (thanks to 3 #1 seeds making the Final Four).... despite 2 #1 seeds making the final, the round only averaged 0.41 (out of 2) due to it being the 2nd and 4th most popular #1 seeds... had to rescue Belucky2 (78th-T, 110) out a jam but was able to listen to the KY-WI game on radio on the way to Santa Ana --- wait, it's the Clipper game??... great 4th HWCI Easter Egg Hunt hosted by Bramlet Aberchrombie (95th-T, 105) and his wife and chatting along with SpAva (116th-T, 102), The Flying Elvi (8th-T, 129), Team Samurai (108th-T, 103), and Bix Pix (150th-t, 92)... 40 picked Duke while 26 picked Wisconsin... for the final, 18 have Wisconsin and 8 have Duke; Vegas says pick 'em and over/under is 141...

--------
TuneIn Radio saves the day as Clippers take over The Beast AM 980...
Scott