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

Sunday, April 5, 2015   *** HAPPY EASTER ***

UNEXPECTED #1 SEEDS BATTLE FOR TITLE
 Big Luther vs BobbyCee’sRacer’sEdge for our 21st title 

CERRITOS, CA (smt)- #1W-Wisconsin got sent to the West Region and knocked off the best teams possible in #16-Coastal Carolina, #8-Oregon, #4-North Carolina, #2-Arizona, and the top seed of all #1MW-Kentucky.  Riding an 11-game winning streak, their last four wins have all been by 7 points in close battles until Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky close out the game.  The Badgers repeated their ousting of Pac-12 foes Oregon and Arizona in identical rounds as last year and avenged last year’s loss to Kentucky in the same round as last year.

#1S-Duke won 4 of its 5 games (#16-Robert Morris, #8-San Diego St, #2-Gonzaga, #7E-Michigan St) by 14 or more points, and in the 6-point win vs #5-Utah, they had a 15-point lead midway through the 2nd half.  The Blue Devils’, led by Jahlil Okafor, last Final Four appearance was in 2010 when they also rolled through the South Regional in Houston and two of their 4 title wins have been in Indy.

So we were denied a perfect season by Kentucky (38-1) and possibly another #7 seed title winner in Michigan St, but we will get to see whether Wisconsin will win their first title since 1941 or if Duke will win their 5th title (3rd in the HWCI era).  Duke beat Wisconsin in December and the past three re-matches have all gone to the winner of the regular season matchup.  The game is a pick ’em with the over/under at 141 for those concerned with the total points in final tiebreaker.

We may have our 20th different champion (BobbyCee’sRacer’sEdge) in 21 years if Wisconsin wins but Big Luther (14 years, 1st ’03) (the only one guaranteed money) will try to become only our 2nd two-time HWCI NCAA Pool champion (if Duke wins).  For the second straight year, we don’t know our pool champion. Will I Ever Win This, who had a 28 in 32 chance to win money got shut out of the finals but can still win 4th if Duke wins.  We had a record 37 people enter more than one entry but only 3 of those have a chance for money (and all with their 2nd or 3rd pick).  The other 8 only entered once (not that I’m discouraging multiple entries as it increases our pot!).  Of the 11, only Big Luther, The Bracket Awakens (21 years, 3rd ’98, 2nd ’99, 3rd ’00, 1st ’02, Bonus ’03), PRIDE OF TROY (12 years, 4th ’05, 4th ’06), and Flying Ace (15 years, 4th ’13) have won money before.  The Bracket Awakens, Patton (4 years, tearing up bracket at end of Sweet 16 each year), Spermicidal State (9 years, never being alive past Elite 8), and Buccos 2 (7 years, 14 of 15 entries dead by end of Elite 8) can win money if Wisconsin wins and PRIDE OF TROY, Dance Time Boyz (1st year, only female with a chance, great nickname, but what is it?), Wuk3 (1st year, his other 2 entries eliminated after Round of 32), and Flying Ace can win money if Duke wins.  As for the Bonus, 22 have a chance and will be counting each point the teams score.  We have given away 99 prizes in the past 20 years and will give out 7 more this year (possibly more if the tiebreaker for the Bonus ends in a tie).   Since 2002, there have only been six people to win money on their first try and we could have 2 if Duke wins.

A little history (all with the same accurate reporting as the Rolling Stone!)....

In 1995, the first year of the pool, just 12 people entered in a modest effort put forth by HW-UCLA and their close friends. Names like BAD ASS and LIVER BOY graced the pool. Of course, their interest was heightened because UCLA was favored to win it all. Indeed, 10 of 12 picked UCLA while 2 picked Kentucky. This pool featured the infamous LOSER WHO DIDN’T PICK UCLA (Dennis K) who set an all-time record (still stands today) with a 14-2 2nd Round to go from tied for 9th to tied for 1st before going 0-7 in the final 3 rounds to finish dead last (12th) with 98 points. TINA’S BOY (Mark C) became the first person to be eliminated when the 2nd round ended. He was, however, one of only 3 people (all in 1995) to correctly pick the two teams in the final and the champion prior to 1999. BIX PIX (Fernando B, 1st, 148) and MR. NELSON (Nelson B, 2nd, 146) were the other two and claimed the top two spots, winning $70 and $30, respectively. THE MIGHTY MOBELFAKTA (Dave F, 3rd, 141) claimed third prize worth $20. All but one finished with 110 points or more, the highest scoring pool ever (130.6 avg). Continue reading »

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The Final @ North Texas (Arlington) (AT&T Stadium)
(31-8) #7-East (New York, NY)	vs.	(29-10) #8-Midwest (Indianapolis, IN)

2ND YEAR ENTRANTS VIE FOR TITLE

A record 138 entries start strong, fizzle at end ROSEMEAD/CERRITOS, CA (smt)- Two teams people would associate with titles made the final, but this year UConn was a #7 seed and Kentucky was a #8 seed.  Both teams didn’t win their conference title nor tournament (both were 12-6 in conference play).  Yet they’ve outlasted an undefeated team, last year’s champion and dark horse, curious seeding, high number of close games, and lengthy monitor replay delays.  The Wildcats have not only had a difficult route to the final (beating 3 of last year’s Final Four teams including undefeated Wichita St) but they have also closed out five straight close games, thanks to Aaron Harrison’s clutch 3-point shooting in the final minute.  The Huskies were nearly upset in overtime in their first game and then proceeded to knock off the #2, #3, and #4 seeds in the East before finally snapping #1 overall seed Florida’s 30-game win streak thanks to incredible free throw shooting.  Kentucky and their fab five starting freshmen are 3 point favorites.  Interestingly, UConn was 2-0 vs Florida while Kentucky was 0-3.

We will have our 19th different champion in 20 years as a couple of second-year players will battle for the title and get their first taste at money in our pool.  Bigtenfan2 hasn’t picked up any points since last Saturday but can win the 20th HWCI NCAA Pool title if Kentucky wins.  Otherwise, it will be Badzy and her riding UConn to the title.  The other six players are also guaranteed a chance at money with the tiebreaker Continue reading »

Has it really been 19 years?  Unlike most pools, we keep a very detailed history.  Today’s update chronicles that history and also as a bonus, at the end is the list of the all-time records.  Good luck to those 3 vying for the final 2 spots and the 25 vying for the Bonus.

There will be the Final update wrap-up tomorrow and the a final pool wrap-up later in the week.  I’ll also be donating $96 ($40 by me and $56 by others) to MathWorks, which unfortunately, despite being a sponsor, my company does not match (they only do educational institutions).

If you have a lot of time, read on (or read original):

Sunday, April 7, 2013 
Issue # 14.5.2 "Leaving Our Teenage Years Behind Us" [ All-Time Records ]
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THE RAT PACK JOINS WINNER CIRCLE AS OUR CHAMP
Our pool topped 130 for the 2nd straight yearCERRITOS, CA (smt)-  The #1 overall seed was the only survivor of the top 12 teams in the tournament in the Final Four and needed every ounce of their toughness to sneak into the Final.  #1MW-Louisville is using inspiration of fallen comrade Kevin Wade but will it be enough Continue reading »

2009 HWCI NCAA Pool Update.  If you ever wanted to know how each of our 15 pools have done and how the United States Gross Domestic Product affects our pool, read this!  From our humble beginnings of just 12 entries to 114 today.  Interestingly, the $70 5th place prize this year matches the amount the first place person got in 1995.