Monthly Archives: March 2023

Issue # 11.4.3 “What Happened?” (F4 Preview + FF Recap)

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American Lung Association
2023 NCAA FINAL FOUR @ Houston, Texas

4th Final Four (’71 (Astrodome), ’11 (Reliant Stadium), ’16 (NRG Stadium))
 –  –  – 
Hosted by U. of Houston (American Athletic Conf) (3rd Final Four), Rice U. (Conf USA) (4th Final Four), Houston Christian U. (Southland Conf) (1st Final Four), and Texas Southern U. (Southwestern Athletic Conf) (2nd Final Four)
 – The Floor
First SemifinalSecond Semifinal
#5-South
(Seed #17, NET #14, AP #18)

Louisville, Kentucky (7th Regional)

Hosted by U. of Louisville
#9-East
(Seed #33, NET #13, AP #25)

New York City, New York (12th Regional)
– Hosted by Big East Conf and St. John’s U.
#5-Midwest
(Seed #20, NET #35, AP #16)

Kansas City, Missouri (16th Regional)

Hosted by Big 12 Conf
#4-West
(Seed #13, NET #8, AP #10)

Las Vegas, Nevada (1st Regional)

Hosted by U. of Nevada, Las Vegas
San Diego St 
Florida Atlantic 
Miami (Florida) 
UConn (4 star) 
San Diego State University Aztecs (31-6) Florida Atlantic University Owls (35-3) University of Miami Hurricanes (29-7) University of Connecticut Huskies (29-8)
Mountain West Conference – Regular Season and Tourney Champs
San Diego, California
1st Final Four
def #12 College of Charleston 63-57
#13 Furman 75-52
#1 Alabama 71-64
#6 Creighton 57-56 		Conference USA – Regular Season and Tourney Champs
Boca Raton, Florida
1st Final Four
 def #8 Memphis 66-65
#16 Fairleigh Dickinson 78-70
#4 Tennessee 62-55
#3 Kansas St 79-76		Atlantic Coast Conference – Regular Season Co-Champs
Coral Gables, Florida
1st Final Four
def #12 Drake 63-56
#4 Indiana 85-69
#1 Houston 89-75
#2 Texas 88-81		Big East Conference (4th Place)
Storrs, Connecticut
6th Final Four (’99, ’04, ’09, ’11, ’14)
def #13 Iona 87-63
#5 Saint Mary’s 70-55
#8 Arkansas 88-65
#3 Gonzaga 82-54

Thursday, March 30, 2023 

UCONN JOINS 3 NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
At least $1,332 will be donated to American Lung Association; over $4,470 donated over 13 years

HOME, CA (smt) – Whereas last year we had four teams with a combined 61 Final Fours and 17 championships (20 including pre-NCAA) and each with at least 3 titles, this year we have 3 newbies joining #4W-UConn, who have 4 titles but all won in the past 24 years (this, its 6th Final Four).  Joining the Big East’s UConn is a member from the ACC, but not Duke, UNC, or Virginia, but #5MW-Miami (of Florida, not Ohio). Mid-majors join the fun as the Mountain West has #5S-San Diego St and Conference USA (who just won the NIT with North Texas beating fellow CUSA member UAB taking the title Wednesday in not-NYC) has #9E-Florida Atlantic.  Who would’ve thought the local team would be San Diego St and that two teams from Florida would be in the Final Four?

Seems like a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away that we were talking about defending champion #1W-Kansas not getting the Kansas City regional (they lost in the 2nd round), #1S-Alabama leading a strong SEC contingent (they lost in the Sweet 16 and the SEC had 9 wins after the first weekend but then went 0-3 in the Sweet 16), #1MW-Houston becoming the second team to play in their home city (Butler in Indy in 2010) since 1972 (they lost in Sweet 16), and #2W-UCLA succumbing to injuries (they did, losing to #3W-Gonzaga in another classic in Sweet 16).

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Issue # 9.4.1 “Rally and Rout” [Pub: March 29]

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Saturday, March 25, 2023 

FAU ERASES LATE 6-PT DEFICIT, UCONN WINS BY 28
Samurai Jack remains in the lead with 103 pts; Just 19 entries still alive

UConn routBELLINGHAM, WA (smt) – #9E-Florida Atlantic had 22 turnovers yet went on a 13-1 run in three minutes to erase a six-point deficit to beat #3E-Kansas St, 79-76, to reach their first Final Four with their 35th win of the season.  FAU hit their last four free throws and KSU could not get off a shot at the end of the game for a chance to tie.  FAU is the third #9 seed to make the Final Four.

#4W-UConn quickly turned a 7-point halftime lead into a massive 33 points in routing #3W-Gonzaga, 82-54, in making their 6th Final Four, all in our pool era (’99, ’04, ’09, ’11, ’14).  They have won all four games by 15 or more points.  The Bulldogs were a very uncharacteristic 33% from the field and 2/10 from three.  With both #3 seeds falling, only #2MW-Texas is the lone top 12 team left.

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Issue # 8.3.2 “Texas Stands Alone” [Pub: March 29]

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Friday, March 24, 2023 

FINAL TWO #1S FALL, TEXAS LONE TOP 8 TEAM
Samurai Jack retakes the lead with 97 pts; Just 31 entries still alive

STEVESTON, BC (smt) – #5S-San Diego St ended the game on a 32-16 run to erase an 11 point deficit to beat #1S-Alabama, 71-64, to reach their first Elite 8.  #5MW-Miami’s Nijel Pack hit 7 three-pointers to lead them to an easy 89-75 win over #1MW-Houston.  Miami is the only team to make back-to-back Elite 8s this year and this is just their second Elite 8.  This was the first time all four #1 seeds did not make the Elite 8 and the Cougars missed a chance to play the Final Four in their home city. 

#6S-Creighton ended #15S-Princeton’s Cinderella run by shooting 71% from inside the 3-point arc in winning 86-75 and making their first Elite 8.  #2MW-Texas’s bench outscored #3MW-Xavier’s 33-5 in making their first Elite 8 since 2008 (83-71 win).  Texas is the lone #1 or #2 seed left and the last team from Texas (started with a tournament high of 7), home of the Final Four.  

The top two predicted champions were eliminated today with 42 losing Houston and 37 Alabama.  Three also lost Xavier.  EMAW (2nd, 95 pts) is the only entry that still can get 3 Final Four teams correct while 80 will go 0-for-the-Final-Four.

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Issue # 10.4.2 “This is the Final Four?”

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Sunday, March 26, 2023 

TWO #5 SEEDS MAKE FINAL FOUR
Samurai Jack remains at 103 points; 12 entries still alive

From seat 12A

SEATAC, WA (smt) – Thanks to Delta Airlines, I was able to catch the ending of the #6S-Creighton and #5S-San Diego St game on the plane.  The last SoCal team standing, SDSU benefited from a controversial foul with a 1.2 seconds left in a tie game and managed to hit the 2nd of 2 free throws to win 57-56 to advance to their first Final Four.  It did look like a foul as the defender was beat and the left arm grabbed the shooter while he was in the air.  But was this how the refs were calling the game?  If so, then it’s a valid whistle.  The CBS post-game show was a mess trying to describe this and the end of the game (tip out of bounds).

Meanwhile, hot three-point shooting #5MW-Miami only shot 8 (made 2) and yet still rallied from a 13-point deficit with 13 minutes left to shock #2MW-Texas by 7 points (78-71).  Texas shot 50% but Miami shot 59.2% and hit 28/32 (87.5%) free throws.  It’s Miami’s (of Florida) first Final Four and the Final Four does not have a #1, #2, or #3 seed with three first-timers (plus #9E-Florida Atlantic) and #4W-UConn going for its 5th title.

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Travel Delay

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The possibilities and Bonus possibilities are now updated. The update will be delayed as I was traveling today and missed the four games. Got lots of notes but have to collect it tomorrow during my meeting (maybe). Might get a double update tomorrow night.

Issue # 7.3.1 “Zags-UCLA Did Not Disappoint”

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Thursday, March 23, 2023 

OWLS FLY HIGH, ZAGS WIN THRILLER
March Sadness takes the lead as 1 of 4 to go 3-1; 81 entries still alive

HOME, CA (smt) – #7E-Michigan St rallied from five down late to send the game into the tournament’s first overtime and led 92-90 but #3E-Kansas St scored 8 of the last 9 points to win 98-93.  K-State’s Markquis Nowell set a tournament record with 19 assists (while adding 20 points and 5 steals) as the last Big Ten team was eliminated (they started with a tournament-high 8).  #4W-UConn never trailed and used an early 14-0 run and at one point led by 29 in a 88-65 win over #8W-Arkansas.

#9E-Florida Atlantic went on a 18-2 run to turn a 39-33 deficit into a 51-41 lead that they did not relinquish in upsetting #4E-Tennessee, 62-55.  The FAU Owls won their 34th game (#1MW-Houston hopes to join them tomorrow) and makes their first Elite 8 in just their second appearance. 

What is it about #3W-Gonzaga and #2W-UCLA in the tournament?  In 2006 (Sweet 16), UCLA rallies from a 13-point halftime deficit by scoring the last 11 points of the game in 3:26 to win by 2 and end Adam Morrison’s Gonzaga career.  In 2021 (Final Four), UCLA rallied from 5 points down in overtime to tie it only to have the Zags’ Jalen Suggs banked a near half-court buzzer beater to win it. 

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Issue # 6.2.3 “Is Eight Enough?” (3/22) [Prize Distribution & Bonus]

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Netflix's Alice in Borderland - Best Japanese Show
Great Japanese Series on Netflix (the Manga is even better!)

Wednesday, March 22, 2023 

NEW 8TH PLACE PRIZE PLUS THE BONUS ARE UP FOR GRABS
Including Bonus, 165 entries can still win money

HOME, CA (smt) – Just nine top four seeds made the Sweet 16 including #15S-Princeton.  The West has #2-4 (losing #1 Kansas) while the South has #1 Arkansas but a #5, #6, and #15.  The Midwest has #1-3 and #5 while the East has #3 and #4 joined by #7 and #9.  #1E-Purdue became the second team to lose to a #16 seed (FDU) while #2S-Arizona lost in the first round.  But you can’t be worse than POTUS who had Arizona as his champ and Virginia over Alabama in Sweet 16.

There have been no overtime games (there were 5 last year) and very few one possession wins (7, though 3 more than last year after the 2nd Round) in the 48 proper 64 games played thus far.  More than half (25 of 48) have been double-digit wins. 

7 of 8 Big Ten teams are already out and the ACC barely squeaked by getting a team (Miami (FL)) in the Sweet 16 every year since 1979.  It’s the SEC dominating going 9-4 (not including First Four loss) as 11 conferences sent a team to the Sweet 16.  Overall #1 Alabama has won each game by 21 and 22 points while only two other teams, #1MW-Houston and #4W-UConn, have won both games by double-digits.

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Issue # 5.2.2 “Upsets But Little Drama”

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Sunday, March 19, 2023 

#5, #6, #7, and #9 PULL AWAY LATE
Jah Lives-2 remains on top with 85 pts; 134 entries still alive

LA MIRADA, CA (smt) – After #16E-Fairleigh Dickinson closed the gap to 3 with 3:27 left, #9E-Florida Atlantic went on a 7-0 to put the game away.  Up by 8 (78-70) with seconds left, FAU, not used to winning, tried an uncontested 360 degree dunk (failed miserably) as time ran out, unsportsmanlike to the max.  While FAU was favored, three lower seeds pulled off upsets, but with little drama at the end. 

#7E-Michigan St stunned trendy pick #2E-Marquette by going on a 7-0 run after the lead was cut to one with 3:36 left to win by 9.  #6S-Creighton never allowed #3S-Baylor to get closer than 9 in the last 11 minutes behind Ryan Nembhard’s 30 points.  After #4MW-Indiana went up 49-47, #5MW-Miami (Florida) went on a 16-2 run to win by 16. 

#3MW-Xavier led by 20 and held on to a 9-point win.  #3E-Kansas St trailed by one to #6E-Kentucky with 2:39 left but a couple of clutch 3s and hitting all 8 free throws propelled them to a 75-69 win.  #4W-UConn trailed by one to #5W-St. Mary’s with 16:06 left but went on a 22-7 run to win by 15.  Both #6W-TCU (12/20 60%) and #3W-Gonzaga (16/25 64%) struggled from the line but it was the Zags who pulled away late (buzzer beater three by TCU made the final margin close at 3).

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Issue # 4.2.1 “Finish Strong”

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Saturday, March 18, 2023 

ARKANSAS KNOCKS KANSAS OUT; PRINCETON IN SWEET 16
Jah Lives-2 leads with 70 pts; PopTop1 goes 7-1

DIGNITY HEALTH SPORTS PARK, CARSON, CA (smt) – #8W-Arkansas used an 11-0 run to erase a 10-point deficit and then battled basket for basket in outlasting defending champ #1MW-Kansas, 72-71.  Up by 3 with 7 seconds left, a smart foul forced Kansas to shoot free throws.  Kansas tried to miss the second but accidentally banked it in and Arkansas ran out the last three seconds.  In the only other upset, #15S-Princeton broke open a 6-point lead with a 19-8 run to rout #7S-Missouri by 15.  #5S-San Diego St easily stomped upstart #13S-Furman by 23 and #1S-Alabama won by 22. 

Other top seeds finished strong with #4E-Tennessee’s Olivier Nkamhoua scored 17 of the teams’ 19 points in outlasting #5E-Duke, #1MW-Houston used second half 14-2 and 8-0 runs after #9MW-Auburn got within one, #2MW-Texas’s Dylan Disu scored 10 points in the last 4 1/2 minutes to help beat #10MW-Penn St, and #2W-UCLA hit their last six free throws (last 32 seconds) to nip #7W-Northwestern by five. 

The Big Ten lost all 3 games and they were the last 3 games of the day and has just two teams left.  The SEC went 3-2 and has nine wins in the tournament with Kentucky playing tomorrow.  All four Big East and both WCC teams play tomorrow.

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Issue # 3.1.2 “Purdue is Poodoo”

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Friday, March 17, 2023  **HAPPY ST. PATTY’S DAY** 

FDU 2ND 16 SEED TO BEAT 1 SEED; WEST IS CHALK
Samurai Jack leads going 27-5 as 16 lose Purdue as champ

HOME, CA (smt) – #16E-Fairleigh Dickinson, who didn’t win the regular season or tournament in the NEC, rode their First Four win momentum to down #1E-Purdue, 63-58, becoming the second #16 seed to beat a #1 seed.  FDU only made the tournament because NEC champion Merrimack (who beat FDU in final) is still ineligible due to D-II to D-I transition.  And yet, with one three-point dagger to put FDU up by 5 with a minute left, FDU (never better than a 15 seed) now has 3 tournament wins (2 in First Four), which is three more than mid-major Boise St.  Purdue had big droughts losing a 47-41 lead to fall behind 49-47 and then going over 5:40 without scoring as FDU increased their 54-53 lead to 58-53.  Purdue has now lost to a #16, a #15 (St. Peter’s last year in Sweet 16), and a #13 seed (North Texas in 1st Round) the past three years.  In their last 10 tourneys, Purdue has lost to a double-digit seed five times (all as a 5 seed or better).

It’ll be FDU vs FAU as #9E-Florida Atlantic won their 32nd game (same as Houston) getting a generous jump ball (while two #8E-Memphis players tried to call time out) with 5.5 seconds left and converting a lay in to win 66-65.  #14MW-Kennesaw St led 61-48 with 9:56 left but #3MW-Xavier ended the game on a 24-6 run to advance.  #11W-Arizona St hit a tying 3 but #6W-TCU got a lay in with 1.5 seconds left to win 72-70.  #5MW-Miami (Florida) ended their game on a 16-1 run to win by 7 over #12MW-Drake. 

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Issue # 2.1.1 “One Bad Pass”

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Thursday, March 16, 2023 

INEXPLICABLE PASS GIVES FURMAN HIGHLIGHT REEL PLAY
A record 194 entries from a record 126 people with 19 teams picked to win it all

HOME, CA (smt) – At least 4S-Virginia can say they are a champion because other than their 2019 title, they have stunk up the pools.  For the second straight time (they missed the tourney last year) they lost to a #13 seed and of course, they remain the only team to lose to a #16 seed (2018).  This time, leading by 2 and with the ball with less than 10 seconds left, a bad hail mary pass (Virginia had a time out!) was easily intercepted by #13S-Furman who quickly nailed a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left to win 68-67.  But that wasn’t the biggest shocker as #15S-Princeton (no stranger to shock wins, just ask UCLA) scored the last 9 points to stun #2S-Arizona 59-55.  The Pac 12 champions may be out but the regular season champ #2W-UCLA routed #15-UNC Asheville by 33. 

#5S-San Diego St, #7S-Missouri, #4E-Tennessee, and #1MW-Houston struggled with close wins while #1W-Kansas (though it was tied 33-33), #1S-Alabama, #5E-Duke, #2MW-Texas won by at least 20 points.  #8S-Maryland survived a last second three, #8W-Arkansas never let #9W-Illionois get within 5 in the second half, #9MW-Auburn never let #8MW-Iowa get within 4 in the second half, and #7W-Northwestern never let #10W-Boise St (who are now 0-9 in the tourney) get within 4 in the last 5 minutes.  #10MW-Penn St routed #7MW-Texas A&M as the fourth lower seeded team to win today.

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Admin Picks

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This is our 28th pool and considering February typically has just 28 days and that is my birth month, I am February Fabone (feel free to nitpick my picks).

My 2nd and last entry is in tribute to my Dad, Belucky2, and I even have Kansas winning it all since that is what he picked when he won the pool in 2008.

We set a record with 79 entries on Wednesday (was 76 in 2022) and ended the day with 156 entries, also a record (145 in 2017).

Currently, we have 160 entries so we are still 18 off the record of 178 set in 2017. Good luck to all!

Edit (8:32 AM PDT): And here is Dave’s bracket: The Mighty Mobelfakta (same nickname all 28 years!)

Indiana is not Oral Roberts!

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There was a bug where if you clicked INDIANA (vs Kent St) that ORAL ROBERTS (30-4) would show up. Rest assured, INDIANA was still your pick (the confirmation page would show INDIANA) but thanks for pushing through anyway. We now have 34 entries (which is shy of our first day record of 35 last year) and you can always view your bracket here (or the Your Picks button above).

Issue # 1.0.1 “Top to Bottom”

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American Lung Association - When you can’t breathe, nothing else matters

Sunday, March 12, 2023  **HELP support the American Lung Association (deadline Tue 4:00 pm PDT **)

# 1 PRESEASON BOTTOMS OUT, ALABAMA ON TOP
Our 28th pool will test UCLA loyalists again

OFF STREET CAFE, CERRITOS, CA (smt) – 2W-UCLA was this close to a #1 seed but lost to #2S-Arizona in the Pac 12 final and is on a collision course once again with 3W-Gonzaga (would be 4th tourney meeting since ’06).  Can UCLA do it?  Defending champ 1W-Kansas, who lost to 2MW-Texas in Big 12 final, fell to the #3 overall seeding, missing out on the Midwest, as SEC champ #1S-Alabama was the #1 overall seed with #1MW-Houston (who also lost in the final) second.  #1E-Purdue rounded out the top seeds.  Who we won’t see is #1 preseason pick UNC, who failed to qualify and then turned down the #1 seed in the NIT (as one of the First Four out) because they are too big for the NIT (plus, the NIT won’t be playing its final in NYC for the first time, not counting the pandemic 2021 reduced tourney in Dallas) and too much pressure to beat Youngstown St.  I feel bad for the players.

After 42 years of Coach K, 5E-Duke won the ACC tournament with Jon Scheyer to start the new era and after feeling “snubbed” last year, #7MW-Texas A&M is back in.  And a team with twenty (20!) losses, #16bE-Texas Southern, won the SWAC tournament after entering it 11-20 and will play in their fourth straight First Four game where they are 3-0 (’18, ’21, ’22). 

The SEC and Big Ten (boy, can’t wait until UCLA and #10E-USC switch to the Big Ten) got 8 teams in with the Big 12 seven.  The ACC and Big East each got 5 and the Pac-12 and MWC got 4 each.  31 of 36 at-large bids went to the power conferences (with MWC getting 3 of the 5).

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13th HWCI NCAA First Four for Charity (Due 4 pm PDT Tuesday)

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While you decide who will win the tourney, for the 13th year I’m doing the HWCI NCAA First Four for Charity, where I will donate $2 per entry to a charity (and if we get more than 25 responses, I’ll chip in an additional $25), this year to the American Lung Association, the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. Over the past six years, it has risen from a 3-star to 4-star charity which is why I probably didn’t consider them way back then. I considered the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation but that has dropped from a 4-star to 3-star rating.

My hero, my Dad, passed away late February after battling for a while with interstitial lung disease. He was a heavy smoker and quit cold turkey a long, long time ago, but the after effects caught up to him. I am hoping the ALA will continue education (especially younger folks) and research into more effective oxygen therapy for the home. He lived to a good age of 82 so I’ll kick start the giving with $82 off the bat. Plus, my company will match so every dollar will be doubled.

Last year, a record $1,406.12 was raised by us (that’s you!) to go to International Rescue Committee. In 12 years, we have raised $3,137.20 for 12 different organizations.

This First Four for Charity is free and you just have to submit (you can comment on this post to enter, email, post to Facebook, tweet @HWCI_Pools) who the four First Four winners will be and by what point margin. The First Four games:

  • SE Missouri St vs Texas A&M Corpus Christi
  • Pittsburgh vs Mississippi St
  • Fairleigh Dickinson (FDU) vs Texas Southern
  • Nevada vs Arizona St

For example: TAM-CC by 2 points, Mississippi St by 3 points, FDU by 9 points, and Arizona St by 4 points. Get your entry by 4 pm PDT Tuesday.  As a bonus, in the end, if we top our record of 178 entries this year, I’ll donate an additional $25.  Also, invite your friends and people can enter (since it’s free) this charity contest but not our main pool.

My picks: TAM-CC by 2, MS-St by 3, FDU by 9, and AZ-St by 4.