Saturday, April 3, 2021
Issue # 12.5.1 "Buzzer Beater Bank"
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FAMILY PICNIC, CA (smt) - Having just played double-digit seeds, #2MW-Houston ran into a buzz saw in #1S-Baylor and saw their 8-6 lead quickly disappear as the Bears had 10-0 and 11-0 runs in the first half.  Baylor ended the half up 45-20 and never let the Cougars get closer than 16 in a 78-59 rout for their first final appearance in 73 yeas ('48). 

In the nightcap, #11E-UCLA played nearly flawless but #1W-Gonzaga pulled out the victory on a long buzzer beater bank three in overtime, winning their 35th straight game, 93-90.  In the instant classic, UCLA shot 57.6% and Gonzaga 58.7% and committed just 10 turnovers each in the 183 point epic battle that essentially was a one score game the whole second half and overtime (Zags briefly by 7 in 2nd half and 5 in OT) and featured 15 ties and 19 lead changes.  UCLA played out the end of the 2nd half (no timeout) and got a whistle with one second left but it was a charge, not a block... it would've been more unlucky had the basket went in (nullifying a buzzer beater) or had it been UCLA's 7th foul (it was their 6th) that would've sent the Zags to the line for the win.  So to overtime, UCLA's third of the tourney.  If there was one thing to fault UCLA for, it was missing the front end of a one-and-one down by 4 two minutes into OT.  Ouch.  UCLA once again played out the end and this time Johnny Juzang (29 pts) put in his own miss with 3.3 seconds left to tie it at 90 after being down by 5.  Taking UCLA's playbook, the Bulldogs also played out (no timeout) and saw three dribbles and a 42-foot running jump shot by Jalen Suggs magically banked in at the buzzer.

It was the tourney's first true buzzer beater (0.0s showing) since Michigan's three to win by 1 over Houston in the 2nd Round in 2018.  Was this the wakeup call for Gonzaga, who had won the previous 27 games by double-digits?  Is Baylor running on all cylinders at the right time to prevent the Zags from a perfect season?  We finally get the matchup between the top 2 teams after their December 5th matchup was canceled after positive COVID-19 tests.

A record 33 went 2-0 (previous 20 in '05 between UNC-Illinois) which kept Pac Attack at the top (127 pts) and moved The Fabone Marathon (121), Mrs Meghan&Mr Meghan (119), Dr Fun (118), and MizzouTgr11 2 (117) up to 2nd to 5th.  Pac Attack clinched at least 2nd, The Fabone Marathon clinched at least 5th, and Mrs Meghan&Mr Meghan clinched at least a tie for 7th (would need to win tiebreaker).  Ten others still have a chance though with MizzouTgr11 2 winning the pool if Baylor wins.

Bonus2 (Total Points in Final) will be the Bonus.  58 eliminated entries now have a chance to win this.  Remember, the top 7 are not eligible and if the total points is the same between entries, the entry with the higher placement (e.g., 10th vs 15th) gets the Bonus.

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 or Discord server.  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 -  5 lost Michigan as their champ... 117 picked Zags and 49 Baylor... just 134 entries previously had gone 2-0 in the semifinals... 3 entries can still win 7th... 34 went 0-2 today... Cloak and Dagger will finish tied for last (60 pts)... each team (Baylor-Houston) had a player with 17 pts in the first half (Marcus Sasser (Hou), Jared Butler (Bay))... Sasser almost made as many FGs as Houston in 1st half (6 vs 7)... Outside of Sasser, Houston was 1/15 from the field in the 1st half... Baylor was 8/15 from three in 1st half.. UCLA has won 24 straight NCAA tournament games when leading at the half - and the Zags' basket as time ran out in the 1st half put them up by 1, preserving UCLA's streak... now all five #11 seeds lost in the semifinal ('86 LSU, '06 George Mason, '11 VCU, '18 Loyola Chicago)... Zags are the second undefeated team to reach the final since Indiana St. in '79... Gonzaga is a 5-point favorite and the over/under is a high 160 (not good news for those who need low tiebreakers); only 22 picked 160 or more points... Zags-UCLA were tied at 81 (162 total pts) after regulation... Houston's coach was 22-0 vs Baylor... only blemish in the Zags-UCLA game was free throws, as UCLA shot just 66.7% (14/21) and Gonzaga 60% (12/20)... all-Texas matchup was first in-state Final Four matchup since Louisville-Kentucky (KY) in '12... Baylor's 23 assists were the most in Final Four since UNLV had 24 in '90...

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Getting a Kawai upright piano up the stairs is quite a feat...
Scott