NCAA Day III - 1/2 way complete

I am going to call my hopes for upsets the 1/4 rule.  Games seem to go off in sets of 4, especially in the first few rounds, and if one of them can produce an upset, I'll be pretty happy.  So far today, we are 1/1 as far as upsets in the groups of 4.  Loyola-Chicago made it all the way to the Sweet 16 with a nail biting last-second win over Tennessee.  This also proves that everyone in the South region is vulnerable.  It's like the rules of gravity don't exist there.  We've already lost the 1, 3 and 4 seeds in that region.  In the other three brackets combined, the only team that should be in the Sweet 16 that has lost is Wichita State.  There's still plenty of time though.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

This Loyola game came just in time too, since the first three games of the day were decided by at least 20 points.  Buffalo got to 5 in the second half, but then Kentucky hit another gear and pulled away.  That game was marginally exciting, but Kentucky just had too many athletes.

Those 2 games actually did quite a bit of shaking up the standings.  A lot of people had Arizona, so they all lost ground to the people that had Kentucky winning.  As I mentioned in the preview, Loyola-Chicago was a pretty trendy pick for the Sweet 16 as an 11-seed, so there were a lot of brackets that got points there as well.  The average number of points people have so far today is only 4.46, and a lot of that is because Arizona was already out.  Only 4 people have a perfect Sweet 16 so far.  That's a remarkably low number given that only 4 of the 16 teams have been decided.  Those 4 brackets are: David W. #2, Matt N., Scott Her. #2 and Daisy N. #2.  The big winner of those 4 was Daisy N. #2.  She started the day in 167th place and is currently now in 46th.  The other three are currently in the top 5.  It's amazing how 4 points from Kentucky and Loyola-Chicago can vault you to the top of the standings.

Speaking of which, here they are:

1. David W. #2: 34 (-16)

2. Brad R.: 33 (-73)

3. Bosun S.: 32 (-16)

4. Matt N.: 32 (-22)

5. Scott Her. #2: 32 (-38)

6. Missy W. #1: 31 (-31)

7. Amaris S.: 31 (-71)

8. Dennis R.: 31 (-73)

9. Bhav D. #2: 30 (-24)

10. Ben P.: 30 (-26)

11. Irene H. #5: 30 (-30)

11. Kirt R. #1: 30 (-30)

13. Jay H. #2: 30 (-38)

14. Ken Pom: 30 (-72)

15. Gigi I.: 30 (-76)

16. Brent E. #1: 29 (-15)

16. Michelle R.: 29 (-15)

18. Mindi W.: 29 (-17)

19. Brent E. #3: 29 (-19)

19. CSU #1: 29 (-19)

19. Stefan K. #2: 29 (-19)

22. Dan S. #1: 29 (-25)

22. Irene H. #6: 29 (-25)

22. Jay C.: 29 (-25)

25. Brent E. #2: 29 (-27)

25. Pete J. #3: 29 (-27)

27. Elizabeth N. #1: 29 (-29)

27. Irene H. #2: 29 (-29)

29. Missy W. #2: 29 (-35)

30. Andrew D. #2: 29 (-41)

30. Jeff M.: 29 (-41)

30. Jeff Sag. #1: 29 (-41)

33. Scott K. #1: 29 (-43)

34. Howard S. #1: 29 (-45)

35. Luis B. #1: 29 (-47)

35. Rob S. #1: 29 (-47)

35. Stefan K. #1: 29 (-47)

38. Ava S.: 29 (-59)

39. Ben J. #1: 29 (-73)

39. Dan S. #2: 29 (-73)

41. David S.: 29 (-77)

41. Irene H. #1: 29 (-77)

43. E Rucker #2: 29 (-79)

44. Tomas L. #1: 29 (-81)

45. Mike N.: 28 (-16)

46. Brad E.: 28 (-20)

46. Daisy N. #2: 28 (-20)

46. Malcolm X #2: 28 (-20)

49. Marc R.: 28 (-22)

50. Dustin B.: 28 (-26)

50. Joe D. #2: 28 (-26)

52. Luis B. #2: 28 (-28)

52. Taima #1: 28 (-28)

54. Jim D. #2: 28 (-30)

55. Daisy N. #1: 28 (-32)

55. Jared B.: 28 (-32)

55. Larry G. #1: 28 (-32)

55. Larry G. #2: 28 (-32)

59. Barack O.: 28 (-42)

59. Kate G.: 28 (-42)

61. Eric V. #2: 28 (-44)

61. Joel S.: 28 (-44)

61. Suki I.: 28 (-44)

64. Jackson I.: 28 (-46)

64. Wayne D. #1: 28 (-46)

66. Kiah H.: 28 (-74)

66. Scott Has.: 28 (-74)

68. Andrew D. #1: 28 (-78)

68. Craig G.: 28 (-78)

68. Jay H. #3: 28 (-78)

71. Becca T.: 28 (-80)

71. Jay H. #1: 28 (-80)

73. Wayne D. #3: 28 (-82)

74. Mike McQ.: 27 (-15)

75. Scott K. #2: 27 (-17)

76. Chris M.: 27 (-19)

76. Grant F.: 27 (-19)

76. Hal R. #1: 27 (-19)

76. Malcolm X #1: 27 (-19)

76. Paul W.: 27 (-19)

76. Todd K. #2: 27 (-19)

82. Adam E.: 27 (-21)

82. Ally H.: 27 (-21)

82. Klei R.: 27 (-21)

85. Jim D. #1: 27 (-23)

85. Jim D. #3: 27 (-23)

87. Daisy N. #13: 27 (-27)

87. Jeff Sag. #2: 27 (-27)

89. Alex N. #2: 27 (-29)

89. Luis B. #3: 27 (-29)

91. Nikolajs B.: 27 (-31)

92. Irene H. #4: 27 (-33)

92. Josh D. #2: 27 (-33)

92. Kansas C.: 27 (-33)

92. Kirt R. #2: 27 (-33)

96. Nick I.: 27 (-37)

97. Mike S. #2: 27 (-43)

97. Scott Her. #1: 27 (-43)

99. Miguel D.: 27 (-45)

100. Larry G. #5: 27 (-49)

101. Larry G. #3: 27 (-75)

102. Larry G. #4: 27 (-77)

103. Joe D. #1: 27 (-79)

104. Ben J. #3: 27 (-81)

104. Uproxx: 27 (-81)

104. Virginia L.: 27 (-81)

107. Daisy N. #7: 27 (-83)

107. Tomas L. #2: 27 (-83)

109. Brett W.: 27 (-85)

109. Eric V. #1: 27 (-85)

111. Pete J. #2: 27 (-91)

112. Pete J. #5: 26 (-18)

113. Howard S. #2: 26 (-20)

114. Irene H. #3: 26 (-22)

114. Max A. #1: 26 (-22)

116. Chad L. #2: 26 (-28)

116. Hutch H. #2: 26 (-28)

118. Chad L. #1: 26 (-32)

118. Jaxon S.: 26 (-32)

120. Chad L. #3: 26 (-34)

120. Michelle L. #5: 26 (-34)

120. Valerie D.: 26 (-34)

123. John M. #3: 26 (-36)

123. Michelle L. #3: 26 (-36)

125. Rob S. #2: 26 (-40)

126. Andrzej R.: 26 (-44)

126. Brett G. #4: 26 (-44)

126. Todd K. #1: 26 (-44)

129. Taima #2: 26 (-46)

130. Hutch H. #1: 26 (-52)

131. Chad L. #4: 26 (-54)

132. Dan D. #2: 26 (-56)

133. John M. #1: 26 (-62)

134. Dylan B.: 26 (-76)

135. Alyssa B.: 26 (-78)

135. Damien R. #3: 26 (-78)

135. David W. #1: 26 (-78)

138. April K.: 26 (-82)

138. Becky H.: 26 (-82)

138. Trent L.: 26 (-82)

141. Brett G. #3: 26 (-84)

141. Irene H. #7: 26 (-84)

143. Daisy N. #10: 26 (-88)

144. Chris T. #2: 26 (-90)

144. Ray W. #2: 26 (-90)

146. Chad L. #5: 26 (-94)

147. Ben S. #1: 25 (-23)

147. Hal R. #2: 25 (-23)

147. Mike W.: 25 (-23)

150. Michelle L. #4: 25 (-25)

151. Damien R. #1: 25 (-27)

152. CSU #2: 25 (-31)

152. Elizabeth N. #2: 25 (-31)

154. Josh D. #3: 25 (-33)

155. Veronica A.: 25 (-35)

156. Matt M.: 25 (-45)

157. William G.: 25 (-47)

158. Brett G. #2: 25 (-49)

158. Max A. #3: 25 (-49)

160. Jim W.: 25 (-51)

160. Wayne D. #2: 25 (-51)

162. John M. #2: 25 (-53)

163. Ben J. #2: 25 (-79)

163. Scott K.: 25 (-79)

165. Mike S. #1: 25 (-81)

166. Julie S.: 25 (-83)

167. Ben S. #4: 25 (-85)

168. Brett K. #2: 24 (-22)

169. Bhav D. #1: 24 (-24)

169. Josh C.: 24 (-24)

171. Roth W.: 24 (-36)

171. Szecho L. #2: 24 (-36)

173. Daisy N. #3: 24 (-40)

174. Adam S. #2: 24 (-42)

175. Allison C.: 24 (-46)

176. Brent S. #2: 24 (-50)

176. Brett G. #1: 24 (-50)

176. Mason A. #1: 24 (-50)

176. Seth D.: 24 (-50)

180. Sulbum H.: 24 (-52)

181. Joe D. #3: 24 (-64)

182. Brent S. #1: 24 (-80)

183. Hal R. #3: 24 (-82)

184. Mason A. #2: 23 (-27)

185. Daisy N. #5: 23 (-39)

185. Michelle L. #2: 23 (-39)

187. Ray W. #3: 23 (-41)

188. Dane R.: 23 (-43)

189. Adam S. #1: 23 (-51)

189. Brett K. #1: 23 (-51)

191. Damien R. #2: 23 (-53)

191. Ray W. #1: 23 (-53)

193. Jace D.: 23 (-87)

193. Michelle L. #1: 23 (-87)

195. Daniel C.: 23 (-89)

196. Chrissy I.: 23 (-93)

197. Daisy N. #11: 23 (-105)

198. Karen C.: 22 (-22)

199. Daisy N. #6: 22 (-34)

200. Alex N. #1: 22 (-38)

200. Rob I.: 22 (-38)

202. Ben S. #2: 22 (-40)

203. Alex N. #4: 22 (-46)

203. Pete J. #1: 22 (-46)

205. Chris T. #1: 22 (-54)

206. Dan D. #1: 22 (-56)

207. Arianna S.: 22 (-100)

208. Ben J. #4: 21 (-31)

209. Pete J. #4: 21 (-39)

210. E Rucker #1: 21 (-55)

211. Brett K. #3: 21 (-63)

212. Szecho L. #1: 21 (-65)

213. Daisy N. #9: 21 (-73)

214. Stephen N.: 21 (-83)

215. Josh D. #1: 21 (-87)

216. Ryan W.: 21 (-91)

217. Joe D. #4: 21 (-99)

218. Alex N. #3: 20 (-40)

219. Tim N.: 20 (-46)

220. Daisy N. #12: 20 (-50)

221. Max A. #2: 20 (-58)

222. Daisy N. #8: 19 (-51)

223. Daisy N. #4: 19 (-75)

224. Ben S. #3: 17 (-39)

...and the net points:

1. David W. #2 (18)

2. Bosun S. (16)

3. Brent E. #1 (14)

3. Michelle R. (14)

5. Mike McQ. (12)

5. Mike N. (12)

5. Mindi W. (12)

8. Brent E. #3 (10)

8. CSU #1 (10)

8. Matt N. (10)

8. Scott K. #2 (10)

8. Stefan K. #2 (10)

13. Brad E. (8)

13. Chris M. (8)

13. Daisy N. #2 (8)

13. Grant F. (8)

13. Hal R. #1 (8)

13. Malcolm X #1 (8)

13. Malcolm X #2 (8)

13. Paul W. (8)

13. Pete J. #5 (8)

13. Todd K. #2 (8)

23. Adam E. (6)

23. Ally H. (6)

23. Bhav D. #2 (6)

23. Howard S. #2 (6)

23. Klei R. (6)

23. Marc R. (6)

29. Ben P. (4)

29. Dan S. #1 (4)

29. Irene H. #3 (4)

29. Irene H. #6 (4)

29. Jay C. (4)

29. Jim D. #1 (4)

29. Jim D. #3 (4)

29. Max A. #1 (4)

37. Ben S. #1 (2)

37. Brent E. #2 (2)

37. Brett K. #2 (2)

37. Dustin B. (2)

37. Hal R. #2 (2)

37. Joe D. #2 (2)

37. Mike W. (2)

37. Pete J. #3 (2)

45. Bhav D. #1 (0)

45. Daisy N. #13 (0)

45. Elizabeth N. #1 (0)

45. Irene H. #2 (0)

45. Irene H. #5 (0)

45. Jeff Sag. #2 (0)

45. Josh C. (0)

45. Karen C. (0)

45. Kirt R. #1 (0)

45. Luis B. #2 (0)

45. Michelle L. #4 (0)

45. Missy W. #1 (0)

45. Taima #1 (0)

58. Alex N. #2 (-2)

58. Chad L. #2 (-2)

58. Damien R. #1 (-2)

58. Hutch H. #2 (-2)

58. Jim D. #2 (-2)

58. Luis B. #3 (-2)

64. Daisy N. #1 (-4)

64. Jared B. (-4)

64. Larry G. #1 (-4)

64. Larry G. #2 (-4)

64. Mason A. #2 (-4)

64. Nikolajs B. (-4)

70. Chad L. #1 (-6)

70. CSU #2 (-6)

70. Elizabeth N. #2 (-6)

70. Irene H. #4 (-6)

70. Jaxon S. (-6)

70. Josh D. #2 (-6)

70. Kansas C. (-6)

70. Kirt R. #2 (-6)

70. Missy W. #2 (-6)

70. Scott Her. #2 (-6)

80. Chad L. #3 (-8)

80. Jay H. #2 (-8)

80. Josh D. #3 (-8)

80. Michelle L. #5 (-8)

80. Valerie D. (-8)

85. Ben J. #4 (-10)

85. John M. #3 (-10)

85. Michelle L. #3 (-10)

85. Nick I. (-10)

85. Veronica A. (-10)

90. Andrew D. #2 (-12)

90. Daisy N. #6 (-12)

90. Jeff M. (-12)

90. Jeff Sag. #1 (-12)

90. Roth W. (-12)

90. Szecho L. #2 (-12)

96. Barack O. (-14)

96. Kate G. (-14)

96. Rob S. #2 (-14)

96. Scott K. #1 (-14)

100. Alex N. #1 (-16)

100. Daisy N. #3 (-16)

100. Daisy N. #5 (-16)

100. Eric V. #2 (-16)

100. Howard S. #1 (-16)

100. Joel S. (-16)

100. Michelle L. #2 (-16)

100. Mike S. #2 (-16)

100. Rob I. (-16)

100. Scott Her. #1 (-16)

100. Suki I. (-16)

111. Adam S. #2 (-18)

111. Andrzej R. (-18)

111. Ben S. #2 (-18)

111. Brett G. #4 (-18)

111. Jackson I. (-18)

111. Luis B. #1 (-18)

111. Miguel D. (-18)

111. Pete J. #4 (-18)

111. Ray W. #3 (-18)

111. Rob S. #1 (-18)

111. Stefan K. #1 (-18)

111. Todd K. #1 (-18)

111. Wayne D. #1 (-18)

124. Alex N. #3 (-20)

124. Dane R. (-20)

124. Matt M. (-20)

124. Taima #2 (-20)

128. Allison C. (-22)

128. Ben S. #3 (-22)

128. Larry G. #5 (-22)

128. William G. (-22)

132. Alex N. #4 (-24)

132. Brett G. #2 (-24)

132. Max A. #3 (-24)

132. Pete J. #1 (-24)

136. Brent S. #2 (-26)

136. Brett G. #1 (-26)

136. Hutch H. #1 (-26)

136. Jim W. (-26)

136. Mason A. #1 (-26)

136. Seth D. (-26)

136. Tim N. (-26)

136. Wayne D. #2 (-26)

144. Adam S. #1 (-28)

144. Brett K. #1 (-28)

144. Chad L. #4 (-28)

144. John M. #2 (-28)

144. Sulbum H. (-28)

149. Ava S. (-30)

149. Daisy N. #12 (-30)

149. Damien R. #2 (-30)

149. Dan D. #2 (-30)

149. Ray W. #1 (-30)

154. Chris T. #1 (-32)

154. Daisy N. #8 (-32)

156. Dan D. #1 (-34)

156. E Rucker #1 (-34)

158. John M. #1 (-36)

159. Max A. #2 (-38)

160. Amaris S. (-40)

160. Brad R. (-40)

160. Joe D. #3 (-40)

163. Brett K. #3 (-42)

163. Dennis R. (-42)

163. Ken Pom (-42)

166. Ben J. #1 (-44)

166. Dan S. #2 (-44)

166. Szecho L. #1 (-44)

169. Gigi I. (-46)

169. Kiah H. (-46)

169. Scott Has. (-46)

172. David S. (-48)

172. Irene H. #1 (-48)

172. Larry G. #3 (-48)

175. Andrew D. #1 (-50)

175. Craig G. (-50)

175. Dylan B. (-50)

175. E Rucker #2 (-50)

175. Jay H. #3 (-50)

175. Larry G. #4 (-50)

181. Alyssa B. (-52)

181. Becca T. (-52)

181. Daisy N. #9 (-52)

181. Damien R. #3 (-52)

181. David W. #1 (-52)

181. Jay H. #1 (-52)

181. Joe D. #1 (-52)

181. Tomas L. #1 (-52)

189. Ben J. #2 (-54)

189. Ben J. #3 (-54)

189. Scott K. (-54)

189. Uproxx (-54)

189. Virginia L. (-54)

189. Wayne D. #3 (-54)

195. April K. (-56)

195. Becky H. (-56)

195. Brent S. #1 (-56)

195. Daisy N. #4 (-56)

195. Daisy N. #7 (-56)

195. Mike S. #1 (-56)

195. Tomas L. #2 (-56)

195. Trent L. (-56)

203. Brett G. #3 (-58)

203. Brett W. (-58)

203. Eric V. #1 (-58)

203. Hal R. #3 (-58)

203. Irene H. #7 (-58)

203. Julie S. (-58)

209. Ben S. #4 (-60)

210. Daisy N. #10 (-62)

210. Stephen N. (-62)

212. Chris T. #2 (-64)

212. Jace D. (-64)

212. Michelle L. #1 (-64)

212. Pete J. #2 (-64)

212. Ray W. #2 (-64)

217. Daniel C. (-66)

217. Josh D. #1 (-66)

219. Chad L. #5 (-68)

220. Chrissy I. (-70)

220. Ryan W. (-70)

222. Arianna S. (-78)

222. Joe D. #4 (-78)

224. Daisy N. #11 (-82)

Let's look at the last 2 games of the day, and try to imagine where the upset is going to happen, in order to meet my 1/4 criteria for a good day.

Texas Tech vs Florida

Vegas Line: Texas Tech by 2

Texas Tech picks: 134

Florida: 60

Other: 30

How about right here.  This is the closest point spread of the day, and Florida is a decent team.  Why not right here.  A lot of people had the play-in winner going to the Sweet 16 anyway, so why not root for the Gators?    I'm not sure I know any more about Texas Tech than I did when they played their first game, so it would be no great loss to see them go down.  I'll root for that.

Michigan vs Houston

Vegas line: Michigan by 3.5

Michigan picks: 169

Houston: 27

Other: 28

This is one of those strange bedfellow games.  A lot of people had San Diego State winning the first round game.  If you had them winning a second round game, you are better served with Houston winning.  I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that Michigan will have a game play for how to stop the PG Gray from Houston.  You can't let him score 75% of the teams points in one half and lose.  Michigan may be able to learn from SDSU's mistake on that one.  Michigan was a trendy pick to make the Final 4 by some analysts.  It seems like this region is still pretty wide open, as it was almost all chalk in the opening round (Florida State - a 9 seed being the only upset).  I wouldn't mind seeing a little chaos thrown into that.

Good luck to everyone!!!!