March Madness - 12 games in.

That's more like it!!!!  That was an exciting group of games where 3 of them went into overtime.  Even the Michigan / Wofford game got a little sketchy there in the second half for a little bit.  I was personally disappointed with NC State blowing a 16 point lead in the second half of the game. St. Louis seemed just right for the beating this year, but instead they advance.  I guess that's the point.  It doesn't matter how much you win by in this tournament, just that you win.

On the upset side of things, North Dakota State polished off Oklahoma in the second 12/5 upset of the day.  They always say you should take at least one of those every year, and I guess they are proving that.  If I was VCU, I think I'd be trying to get a good night sleep before tomorrow, as they are the only 5 that hasn't played yet.

One thing that I (and my wife) find increasingly frustrating is teams that can't make free throws.  I'm pretty sure NC State could have won that game had they made free throws.  I know at least once at the end of regulation, they missed the front end of a 1-1.  That's essentially a turnover.  I was really happy to see the sub from NDSU at the end of the game knock down his free throws to win it.  The graphic said he had a 57% FTP for the season, and he came through - and they won.  Go Bison!

Anyway, on to the standings.  With the upset of Oklahoma, we are down to only 2 perfect brackets left.  Congratulations Ben W. and Robert H. #2.  Good picking so far.  One of you is going down in the Arizona State / Texas game.  That will give one of you the distinction of being the last perfect bracket as the ASU / Texas game is currently going on.

I'm personally excited about the SDSU game tonight.  Both of my alma maters made the field and Western Michigan really looked bad this afternoon.  I'm hoping for a better result from the Aztecs.  The again, I've heard that New Mexico State has a 7'5" 350 pound center.  I really want to see that guy play too.  He sounds tough to move.

All right, here are the standings:

1. Ben W.: 12 (0)

1. Robert H. #2: 12 (0)

3. Damien R. #3: 11 (-1)

3. David S. #3: 11 (-1)

3. Adam E. #1: 11 (-1)

3. Carrie P. #1: 11 (-1)

7. Chun W. #4: 11 (-3)

8. Jay H. #1: 10 (-2)

8. Luis B. #2: 10 (-2)

8. Luis B. #3: 10 (-2)

8. Ray W. #4: 10 (-2)

8. Alex T.: 10 (-2)

8. Marissa W. #2: 10 (-2)

8. Mike San #1: 10 (-2)

8. Mike San #2: 10 (-2)

8. Steve M. #2: 10 (-2)

8. Chad L. #2: 10 (-2)

8. Karen C. #2: 10 (-2)

8. Virginia L. #2: 10 (-2)

8. Brent S. #1: 10 (-2)

8. Brett W.: 10 (-2)

8. Jack K. #2: 10 (-2)

8. Josh C.: 10 (-2)

8. Josh S. #2: 10 (-2)

8. Mike L. #2: 10 (-2)

8. Tomas L. #1: 10 (-2)

27. Justin G.: 10 (-4)

27. Marc R. #1: 10 (-4)

27. Howard S. #1: 10 (-4)

27. Jay H. #3: 10 (-4)

27. Brian G.: 10 (-4)

27. Ryan G.: 10 (-4)

27. Hutch H. #2: 10 (-4)

27. Scott Her. #1: 10 (-4)

27. Irene L. #1: 10 (-4)

27. Ryan H.: 10 (-4)

27. Scott Her. #2: 10 (-4)

27. Scott K. #2: 10 (-4)

39. Todd K. #2: 10 (-6)

40. Mason A. #4: 10 (-8)

40. Scott Hass.: 10 (-8)

40. Carrie P. #3: 10 (-8)

40. Gary M. #1: 10 (-8)

44. Mike L. #1: 10 (-10)

45. Dimitris M. #3: 10 (-16)

46. April K.: 9 (-3)

46. Chad C.: 9 (-3)

46. Damien R. #1: 9 (-3)

46. Dominic M.: 9 (-3)

46. Gene B. #1: 9 (-3)

46. Jack K. #1: 9 (-3)

46. James G. #2: 9 (-3)

46. Jim D. #1: 9 (-3)

46. Josiah T. #5: 9 (-3)

46. William G. #2: 9 (-3)

46. Christina S. #5: 9 (-3)

46. Christina S. #6: 9 (-3)

46. John E.: 9 (-3)

46. Luis B. #1: 9 (-3)

46. Peter J. #1: 9 (-3)

46. Stan C. #2: 9 (-3)

46. Taima B. #1: 9 (-3)

46. Joe K. #1: 9 (-3)

46. Marissa W. #1: 9 (-3)

46. Todd K. #3: 9 (-3)

46. Ben J. #3: 9 (-3)

46. Joseph H.: 9 (-3)

46. Sue L.: 9 (-3)

46. Hal R. #1: 9 (-3)

46. Hal R. #2: 9 (-3)

46. Jim W.: 9 (-3)

46. Peter J. #2: 9 (-3)

46. Taima B. #2: 9 (-3)

46. Ally H.: 9 (-3)

46. Amelia H.: 9 (-3)

46. Brent E. #3: 9 (-3)

46. Dan D. #1: 9 (-3)

46. David S. #1: 9 (-3)

46. Gary M. #2: 9 (-3)

46. Greg F.: 9 (-3)

46. Josiah T. #1: 9 (-3)

46. Kansas C.: 9 (-3)

46. KenPom: 9 (-3)

46. Larry G. #2: 9 (-3)

46. Marissa W. #3: 9 (-3)

46. Matt N.: 9 (-3)

46. Miguel D.: 9 (-3)

46. Rich F.: 9 (-3)

46. Rich F.: 9 (-3)

46. Robert H. #1: 9 (-3)

46. Shawn S.B.: 9 (-3)

46. Stephanie P. #4: 9 (-3)

46. Tomas L. #4: 9 (-3)

46. Virginia L. #1: 9 (-3)

46. Brent S. #2: 9 (-3)

46. Gary W.: 9 (-3)

46. Howard S. #2: 9 (-3)

46. Paul W.: 9 (-3)

99. Amos W.: 9 (-5)

99. Eric V.: 9 (-5)

99. Josh S. #1: 9 (-5)

99. Ray W. #1: 9 (-5)

99. Marc R. #2: 9 (-5)

99. Klei R. #1: 9 (-5)

99. Marissa W. #4: 9 (-5)

99. Bosun S.: 9 (-5)

99. Daisy N. #1: 9 (-5)

99. Daisy N. #2: 9 (-5)

99. Dennis R. #3: 9 (-5)

99. Steve M. #3: 9 (-5)

99. Carrie P. #4: 9 (-5)

99. Christina S. #1: 9 (-5)

99. Daisy N. #4: 9 (-5)

99. Daryl J.: 9 (-5)

99. Matt J. #2: 9 (-5)

99. Matt J. #3: 9 (-5)

99. Matt J. #4: 9 (-5)

99. Stephanie P. #3: 9 (-5)

119. Roth W.: 9 (-7)

119. Larry G. #4: 9 (-7)

119. Mike Sm.: 9 (-7)

119. Amy D.: 9 (-7)

123. Howard S. #3: 9 (-9)

123. Steve D.: 9 (-9)

123. Brett K. #1: 9 (-9)

123. Mike L. #3: 9 (-9)

123. Dan D. #2: 9 (-9)

123. Mason A. #2: 9 (-9)

129. Scott K. #1: 9 (-11)

130. Missy W. #2: 9 (-15)

131. Dimitris M. #5: 9 (-17)

132. Ray W. #3: 9 (-19)

133. Chris M. #2: 9 (-23)

133. Todd K. #1: 9 (-23)

135. Stephanie P. #1: 9 (-65)

136. Chris L. #1: 8 (-4)

136. Karl K.: 8 (-4)

136. Larry G. #1: 8 (-4)

136. Chun W. #1: 8 (-4)

136. Chun W. #2: 8 (-4)

136. Chun W. #3: 8 (-4)

136. David S. #2: 8 (-4)

136. Erica A.: 8 (-4)

136. Larry G. #3: 8 (-4)

136. Sarah G.: 8 (-4)

136. Abel R.: 8 (-4)

136. Andrea A.: 8 (-4)

136. Chris L. #2: 8 (-4)

136. Eric C.: 8 (-4)

136. Esteban D.: 8 (-4)

136. Gutless Dimitris: 8 (-4)

136. Jack K. #4: 8 (-4)

136. Julie S.: 8 (-4)

136. Mark N. #2: 8 (-4)

136. Stephanie P. #2: 8 (-4)

136. Steve H.: 8 (-4)

136. Brent E. #2: 8 (-4)

136. Dimitris M. #2: 8 (-4)

136. Jay K.: 8 (-4)

136. Jeff D.: 8 (-4)

136. Tomas L. #3: 8 (-4)

162. Chris M. #4: 8 (-6)

162. Bhav R.: 8 (-6)

162. Brent E. #6: 8 (-6)

162. Ben J. #2: 8 (-6)

162. Carl B.: 8 (-6)

162. Dennis R. #1: 8 (-6)

162. Mason A. #1: 8 (-6)

162. Howard S. #4: 8 (-6)

162. Chad L. #1: 8 (-6)

162. Damien R. #2: 8 (-6)

162. Josiah T. #3: 8 (-6)

162. Mark N. #1: 8 (-6)

162. Peter J. #4: 8 (-6)

162. Brad R.: 8 (-6)

162. Christina S. #4: 8 (-6)

162. Ava S.: 8 (-6)

162. Daisy N. #5: 8 (-6)

162. James K.: 8 (-6)

162. Kirt R.: 8 (-6)

162. James G. #1: 8 (-6)

182. Klei R. #2: 8 (-8)

182. Steve M. #4: 8 (-8)

182. Meredith R.: 8 (-8)

182. Karen C. #1: 8 (-8)

182. Daisy N. #3: 8 (-8)

182. William G. #1: 8 (-8)

182. Adam E. #2: 8 (-8)

182. Christina S. #3: 8 (-8)

182. Josiah T. #4: 8 (-8)

191. Brent E. #4: 8 (-10)

191. Michelle L. #3: 8 (-10)

191. Chris M. #3: 8 (-10)

191. William G. #4: 8 (-10)

191. Dan S.: 8 (-10)

191. Matt J. #1: 8 (-10)

191. Dennis R. #2: 8 (-10)

191. Jeff W.: 8 (-10)

199. Stephanie P. #5: 8 (-12)

199. Michelle L. #1: 8 (-12)

201. Tomas L. #2: 8 (-14)

201. Elena S.: 8 (-14)

203. Chris M. #1: 8 (-18)

204. Tracy V.: 7 (-5)

204. Chris L. #3: 7 (-5)

204. Kyle V.: 7 (-5)

204. William G. #3: 7 (-5)

204. Stan C. #1: 7 (-5)

204. Joe K. #2: 7 (-5)

204. Klei - Alex O.: 7 (-5)

204. Ray W. #2: 7 (-5)

212. Zachary V.: 7 (-7)

212. Christina S. #2: 7 (-7)

212. Ben J. #1: 7 (-7)

212. Josiah T. #2: 7 (-7)

212. Ron B.: 7 (-7)

212. Carrie P. #2: 7 (-7)

212. Andrzej R.: 7 (-7)

212. Hutch H. #1: 7 (-7)

212. Todd K. #4: 7 (-7)

221. Karen C. #3: 7 (-9)

221. Terry F. #1: 7 (-9)

221. Michelle L. #2: 7 (-9)

221. Sally R.: 7 (-9)

221. Brent E. #5: 7 (-9)

221. Tim N.: 7 (-9)

227. David S. #4: 7 (-13)

227. Brent E. #1: 7 (-13)

229. Mason A. #3: 7 (-19)

229. Brett K. #2: 7 (-19)

229. Missy W. #1: 7 (-19)

232. John M. #1: 7 (-21)

233. Kevin W.: 7 (-23)

234. Gene B. #2: 7 (-31)

235. Dimitris M. #4: 7 (-37)

236. Peter J. #5: 6 (-6)

236. Jim D. #2: 6 (-6)

238. Peter J. #3: 6 (-8)

238. Jay H. #2: 6 (-8)

240. Klei R. - RND: 6 (-10)

240. Michelle L. #4: 6 (-10)

242. Terry F. #2: 6 (-16)

243. Irene L. #2: 6 (-18)

244. Jack K. #3: 6 (-70)

245. John M. #2: 6 (-84)

246. Becky H.: 5 (-9)

247. Steve M. #1: 5 (-13)

But let's look at the next set of games:

Villanova: 238
Milwaukee: 9

Texas: 145
Arizona State: 102

Louisville: 241
Manhattan: 6

San Diego State: 233
New Mexico State: 14

I think that might too much love for SDSU and Louisville as 4's.  Then again, everyone LOVES Louisville, and San Diego State is the home town team, so that probably skews the picks.  Kind of like any Michigan team is skewed because of people I knew in college.

It looks like Villanova is having some struggles with Milwaukee right now.  That could get interesting, even though not many people had Villanova going as far as most 2's in history.  Still, Milwaukee would be a huge upset if it happens.

Good Luck to everyone!!!!!!