NCAA - First 2 games finished.

Wow.  That Rhode Island / Oklahoma game was pretty exciting.  At one point in the second half it didn't look like Rhode Island would ever miss a shot from 3-point range.  Somehow, Oklahoma clawed back to tie the game.  Then Rhode Island almost made a buzzer-beating put-back at the end of regulation that would have won the game.  Great game all around.  I mentioned that this was the 3rd closest game if you go by the point spread, and it totally lived up to it.

I didn't watch much of the Tennessee / Wright State game.  Tennessee had a double digit lead for virtually all of the second half.  Honestly, as long as the URI / OU game was on, there wasn't much reason to watch this game.  There was a bet you could make about the largest final scoring margin that was set at 34.5.  At one point, I thought this game might threaten the over.

The standings are more or less indicative of who took Rhode Island in the first game.  Almost everyone took Tennessee.  Here are the standings:

1. Adam E.: 2 (0)

1. Bhav D. #2: 2 (0)

1. Brett G. #4: 2 (0)

1. Chad L. #1: 2 (0)

1. Chad L. #2: 2 (0)

1. Chad L. #3: 2 (0)

1. Chad L. #5: 2 (0)

1. Damien R. #1: 2 (0)

1. Damien R. #2: 2 (0)

1. Jay C.: 2 (0)

1. Jeff Sag. #2: 2 (0)

1. John M. #1: 2 (0)

1. John M. #2: 2 (0)

1. John M. #3: 2 (0)

1. Klei R.: 2 (0)

1. Larry G. #2: 2 (0)

1. Larry G. #3: 2 (0)

1. Larry G. #5: 2 (0)

1. Marc R.: 2 (0)

1. Mason A. #1: 2 (0)

1. Mike S. #1: 2 (0)

1. Mike S. #2: 2 (0)

1. Mike W.: 2 (0)

1. Missy W. #1: 2 (0)

1. Pete J. #3: 2 (0)

1. Scott Has.: 2 (0)

1. Seth D.: 2 (0)

1. Stefan K. #2: 2 (0)

1. Tomas L. #1: 2 (0)

1. Tomas L. #2: 2 (0)

1. Brad R.: 2 (0)

1. Joel S.: 2 (0)

1. Scott K.: 2 (0)

1. Ben S. #1: 2 (0)

1. Ben S. #2: 2 (0)

1. Ben S. #3: 2 (0)

1. Ben S. #4: 2 (0)

1. Jeff M.: 2 (0)

1. Hal R. #1: 2 (0)

1. Hal R. #2: 2 (0)

1. Hal R. #3: 2 (0)

1. Josh C.: 2 (0)

1. Jay H. #1: 2 (0)

1. Jay H. #2: 2 (0)

1. Andrew D. #2: 2 (0)

1. Trent L.: 2 (0)

1. Jim W.: 2 (0)

1. Max A. #2: 2 (0)

1. Max A. #3: 2 (0)

1. Dane R.: 2 (0)

1. Michelle L. #1: 2 (0)

1. Michelle L. #3: 2 (0)

1. Michelle L. #4: 2 (0)

1. Michelle L. #5: 2 (0)

1. Jaxon S.: 2 (0)

1. Matt M.: 2 (0)

1. Elizabeth N. #1: 2 (0)

1. Elizabeth N. #2: 2 (0)

1. Brett K. #1: 2 (0)

1. Brett K. #2: 2 (0)

1. Brett K. #3: 2 (0)

1. E Rucker #2: 2 (0)

1. Arianna S.: 2 (0)

1. Amaris S.: 2 (0)

1. Jim D. #1: 2 (0)

1. Jim D. #2: 2 (0)

1. Jim D. #3: 2 (0)

1. Malcolm X #1: 2 (0)

1. Malcolm X #2: 2 (0)

1. Wayne D. #2: 2 (0)

1. Wayne D. #3: 2 (0)

1. David W. #1: 2 (0)

1. David W. #2: 2 (0)

1. Joe D. #1: 2 (0)

1. Joe D. #3: 2 (0)

1. Rob S. #2: 2 (0)

1. David S.: 2 (0)

1. Kirt R. #1: 2 (0)

1. Kansas C.: 2 (0)

1. Alex N. #1: 2 (0)

1. Alex N. #2: 2 (0)

1. Hutch H. #1: 2 (0)

1. Dan D. #2: 2 (0)

1. Dylan B.: 2 (0)

1. Grant F.: 2 (0)

1. Ben J. #1: 2 (0)

1. Ben J. #2: 2 (0)

1. Eric V. #1: 2 (0)

1. Scott K. #2: 2 (0)

1. Roth W.: 2 (0)

1. Dan S. #1: 2 (0)

1. Dan S. #2: 2 (0)

1. Bosun S.: 2 (0)

1. Ava S.: 2 (0)

1. Julie S.: 2 (0)

1. Josh D. #1: 2 (0)

1. Josh D. #2: 2 (0)

1. Josh D. #3: 2 (0)

1. Mindi W.: 2 (0)

1. Ray W. #2: 2 (0)

1. Ray W. #3: 2 (0)

1. Nick I.: 2 (0)

1. Suki I.: 2 (0)

1. Rob I.: 2 (0)

1. Chrissy I.: 2 (0)

1. Gigi I.: 2 (0)

1. CSU #1: 2 (0)

1. Luis B. #1: 2 (0)

1. Luis B. #2: 2 (0)

1. Luis B. #3: 2 (0)

1. Taima #1: 2 (0)

1. Taima #2: 2 (0)

1. Irene H. #5: 2 (0)

1. Irene H. #4: 2 (0)

1. Irene H. #1: 2 (0)

1. Ally H.: 2 (0)

1. Scott Her. #1: 2 (0)

1. Scott Her. #2: 2 (0)

119. Allison C.: 1 (-1)

119. Becca T.: 1 (-1)

119. Brad E.: 1 (-1)

119. Brent S. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Brent S. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Brett G. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Brett G. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Brett G. #3: 1 (-1)

119. Chad L. #4: 1 (-1)

119. Chris T. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Chris T. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Craig G.: 1 (-1)

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

119. Daniel C.: 1 (-1)

119. Dennis R.: 1 (-1)

119. Howard S. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Howard S. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Jace D.: 1 (-1)

119. Jeff Sag. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Ken Pom: 1 (-1)

119. Kiah H.: 1 (-1)

119. Larry G. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Larry G. #4: 1 (-1)

119. Michelle R.: 1 (-1)

119. Miguel D.: 1 (-1)

119. Missy W. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Paul W.: 1 (-1)

119. Pete J. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Pete J. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Pete J. #5: 1 (-1)

119. Stefan K. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Todd K. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Uproxx: 1 (-1)

119. Valerie D.: 1 (-1)

119. Barack O.: 1 (-1)

119. Brent E. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Brent E. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Brent E. #3: 1 (-1)

119. Jared B.: 1 (-1)

119. Jay H. #3: 1 (-1)

119. Andrew D. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Max A. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Michelle L. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Matt N.: 1 (-1)

119. Tim N.: 1 (-1)

119. Ben P.: 1 (-1)

119. Kate G.: 1 (-1)

119. Veronica A.: 1 (-1)

119. Wayne D. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Joe D. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Rob S. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Kirt R. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Andrzej R.: 1 (-1)

119. Hutch H. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Dan D. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Daisy N. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Daisy N. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Daisy N. #3: 1 (-1)

119. Daisy N. #6: 1 (-1)

119. Daisy N. #7: 1 (-1)

119. Daisy N. #9: 1 (-1)

119. Daisy N. #10: 1 (-1)

119. Daisy N. #13: 1 (-1)

119. Chris M.: 1 (-1)

119. Alyssa B.: 1 (-1)

119. Dustin B.: 1 (-1)

119. Ben J. #3: 1 (-1)

119. Eric V. #2: 1 (-1)

119. William G.: 1 (-1)

119. April K.: 1 (-1)

119. Scott K. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Mike McQ.: 1 (-1)

119. Szecho L. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Szecho L. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Nikolajs B.: 1 (-1)

119. Ray W. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Jackson I.: 1 (-1)

119. CSU #2: 1 (-1)

119. Irene H. #7: 1 (-1)

119. Irene H. #6: 1 (-1)

119. Irene H. #3: 1 (-1)

119. Irene H. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Becky H.: 1 (-1)

119. Adam S. #1: 1 (-1)

119. Adam S. #2: 1 (-1)

119. Mike N.: 1 (-1)

119. E Rucker #1: 1 (-1)

119. Joe D. #4: 1 (-1)

119. Alex N. #4: 1 (-1)

208. Mason A. #2: 1 (-3)

208. Pete J. #4: 1 (-3)

208. Ryan W.: 1 (-3)

208. Sulbum H.: 1 (-3)

208. Todd K. #1: 1 (-3)

208. Karen C.: 1 (-3)

208. Alex N. #3: 1 (-3)

208. Daisy N. #12: 1 (-3)

208. Virginia L.: 1 (-3)

217. Bhav D. #1: 1 (-7)

217. Daisy N. #8: 1 (-7)

217. Daisy N. #11: 1 (-7)

217. Ben J. #4: 1 (-7)

221. Daisy N. #5: 1 (-15)

283. Daisy N. #4: 0 (-2)

284. Stephen N.: 0 (-4)

....and the net standings:

1. Adam E. (2)

1. Alex N. #1 (2)

1. Alex N. #2 (2)

1. Ally H. (2)

1. Amaris S. (2)

1. Andrew D. #2 (2)

1. Arianna S. (2)

1. Ava S. (2)

1. Ben J. #1 (2)

1. Ben J. #2 (2)

1. Ben S. #1 (2)

1. Ben S. #2 (2)

1. Ben S. #3 (2)

1. Ben S. #4 (2)

1. Bhav D. #2 (2)

1. Bosun S. (2)

1. Brad R. (2)

1. Brett G. #4 (2)

1. Brett K. #1 (2)

1. Brett K. #2 (2)

1. Brett K. #3 (2)

1. Chad L. #1 (2)

1. Chad L. #2 (2)

1. Chad L. #3 (2)

1. Chad L. #5 (2)

1. Chrissy I. (2)

1. CSU #1 (2)

1. Damien R. #1 (2)

1. Damien R. #2 (2)

1. Dan D. #2 (2)

1. Dan S. #1 (2)

1. Dan S. #2 (2)

1. Dane R. (2)

1. David S. (2)

1. David W. #1 (2)

1. David W. #2 (2)

1. Dylan B. (2)

1. E Rucker #2 (2)

1. Elizabeth N. #1 (2)

1. Elizabeth N. #2 (2)

1. Eric V. #1 (2)

1. Gigi I. (2)

1. Grant F. (2)

1. Hal R. #1 (2)

1. Hal R. #2 (2)

1. Hal R. #3 (2)

1. Hutch H. #1 (2)

1. Irene H. #1 (2)

1. Irene H. #4 (2)

1. Irene H. #5 (2)

1. Jaxon S. (2)

1. Jay C. (2)

1. Jay H. #1 (2)

1. Jay H. #2 (2)

1. Jeff M. (2)

1. Jeff Sag. #2 (2)

1. Jim D. #1 (2)

1. Jim D. #2 (2)

1. Jim D. #3 (2)

1. Jim W. (2)

1. Joe D. #1 (2)

1. Joe D. #3 (2)

1. Joel S. (2)

1. John M. #1 (2)

1. John M. #2 (2)

1. John M. #3 (2)

1. Josh C. (2)

1. Josh D. #1 (2)

1. Josh D. #2 (2)

1. Josh D. #3 (2)

1. Julie S. (2)

1. Kansas C. (2)

1. Kirt R. #1 (2)

1. Klei R. (2)

1. Larry G. #2 (2)

1. Larry G. #3 (2)

1. Larry G. #5 (2)

1. Luis B. #1 (2)

1. Luis B. #2 (2)

1. Luis B. #3 (2)

1. Malcolm X #1 (2)

1. Malcolm X #2 (2)

1. Marc R. (2)

1. Mason A. #1 (2)

1. Matt M. (2)

1. Max A. #2 (2)

1. Max A. #3 (2)

1. Michelle L. #1 (2)

1. Michelle L. #3 (2)

1. Michelle L. #4 (2)

1. Michelle L. #5 (2)

1. Mike S. #1 (2)

1. Mike S. #2 (2)

1. Mike W. (2)

1. Mindi W. (2)

1. Missy W. #1 (2)

1. Nick I. (2)

1. Pete J. #3 (2)

1. Ray W. #2 (2)

1. Ray W. #3 (2)

1. Rob I. (2)

1. Rob S. #2 (2)

1. Roth W. (2)

1. Scott Has. (2)

1. Scott Her. #1 (2)

1. Scott Her. #2 (2)

1. Scott K. #2 (2)

1. Scott K. (2)

1. Seth D. (2)

1. Stefan K. #2 (2)

1. Suki I. (2)

1. Taima #1 (2)

1. Taima #2 (2)

1. Tomas L. #1 (2)

1. Tomas L. #2 (2)

1. Trent L. (2)

1. Wayne D. #2 (2)

1. Wayne D. #3 (2)

119. Adam S. #1 (0)

119. Adam S. #2 (0)

119. Alex N. #4 (0)

119. Allison C. (0)

119. Alyssa B. (0)

119. Andrew D. #1 (0)

119. Andrzej R. (0)

119. April K. (0)

119. Barack O. (0)

119. Becca T. (0)

119. Becky H. (0)

119. Ben J. #3 (0)

119. Ben P. (0)

119. Brad E. (0)

119. Brent E. #1 (0)

119. Brent E. #2 (0)

119. Brent E. #3 (0)

119. Brent S. #1 (0)

119. Brent S. #2 (0)

119. Brett G. #1 (0)

119. Brett G. #2 (0)

119. Brett G. #3 (0)

119. Chad L. #4 (0)

119. Chris M. (0)

119. Chris T. #1 (0)

119. Chris T. #2 (0)

119. Craig G. (0)

119. CSU #2 (0)

119. Daisy N. #1 (0)

119. Daisy N. #10 (0)

119. Daisy N. #13 (0)

119. Daisy N. #2 (0)

119. Daisy N. #3 (0)

119. Daisy N. #6 (0)

119. Daisy N. #7 (0)

119. Daisy N. #9 (0)

119. Damien R. #3 (0)

119. Dan D. #1 (0)

119. Daniel C. (0)

119. Dennis R. (0)

119. Dustin B. (0)

119. E Rucker #1 (0)

119. Eric V. #2 (0)

119. Howard S. #1 (0)

119. Howard S. #2 (0)

119. Hutch H. #2 (0)

119. Irene H. #2 (0)

119. Irene H. #3 (0)

119. Irene H. #6 (0)

119. Irene H. #7 (0)

119. Jace D. (0)

119. Jackson I. (0)

119. Jared B. (0)

119. Jay H. #3 (0)

119. Jeff Sag. #1 (0)

119. Joe D. #2 (0)

119. Joe D. #4 (0)

119. Kate G. (0)

119. Ken Pom (0)

119. Kiah H. (0)

119. Kirt R. #2 (0)

119. Larry G. #1 (0)

119. Larry G. #4 (0)

119. Matt N. (0)

119. Max A. #1 (0)

119. Michelle L. #2 (0)

119. Michelle R. (0)

119. Miguel D. (0)

119. Mike McQ. (0)

119. Mike N. (0)

119. Missy W. #2 (0)

119. Nikolajs B. (0)

119. Paul W. (0)

119. Pete J. #1 (0)

119. Pete J. #2 (0)

119. Pete J. #5 (0)

119. Ray W. #1 (0)

119. Rob S. #1 (0)

119. Scott K. #1 (0)

119. Stefan K. #1 (0)

119. Szecho L. #1 (0)

119. Szecho L. #2 (0)

119. Tim N. (0)

119. Todd K. #2 (0)

119. Uproxx (0)

119. Valerie D. (0)

119. Veronica A. (0)

119. Wayne D. #1 (0)

119. William G. (0)

208. Alex N. #3 (-2)

208. Daisy N. #12 (-2)

208. Daisy N. #4 (-2)

208. Karen C. (-2)

208. Mason A. #2 (-2)

208. Pete J. #4 (-2)

208. Ryan W. (-2)

208. Sulbum H. (-2)

208. Todd K. #1 (-2)

208. Virginia L. (-2)

218. Stephen N. (-4)

219. Ben J. #4 (-6)

219. Bhav D. #1 (-6)

219. Daisy N. #11 (-6)

219. Daisy N. #8 (-6)

223. Daisy N. #5 (-14)

Unfortunately, Daisy had a lot invested in Oklahoma, including one bracket that had them in the Championship game.  All is not lost though.  There's still over 90% of all available points out there.

Right now, it looks like Gonzaga is pulling away and Kansas is in a real dog fight with Penn.  I'd love to see an upset there, but given they are playing in the state of Kansas, I feel like they will pull away in the second half.  We shall see...

The next set of games looks to have one good game in it.  This one is not it:

Duke vs Iona

Vegas Line: Duke by 20.5

Duke picks:  222

Iona picks:  1

As a lot of you may know, I have a very extensive collection of college basketball T-shirts.  I decided I was going to wear the school that had the biggest point spread against them.  Since I don't have a Radford T-shirt, I decided to wear my Iona shirt.  I would love to see them win.  I hate Duke with the white hot passion of a thousand suns.   It would make my day to see a Lehigh-type game from the Iona Gaels.

Miami-Florida vs Loyola-Chicago

Vegas line: Miami by 1.5

Miami picks: 128

Loyola picks: 95

This seemed like a lot of people's upset special pick.  On paper, this was the closest game of the day.  I doubt it could possibly be closer than the Rhode Island game, but given that the current games are a little sluggish, I'll take what I can get.   I will say that most of the 11 seeds seem pretty strong this year.  Loyola, San Diego State and the 2 play-in winners.  I am a huge fan of taking the play-in winner to the Sweet 16.  I'm not sure about Syracuse, but I like St. Bonaventure.  We'll see them later tonight.

I'll be back after the Kansas game finishes and almost everyone collects an additional 2 points.