The Aggies should have won! edition.

We just had a good set of good games, although they weren’t capped off by any upsets.  New Mexico State had a tremendous chance to send the game to overtime, and then at least 2 quality chances to win it outright in regular time.  Auburn looked really, really shaky at the end of their game.  I wouldn’t say that Florida State looked all that amazing in their win over Vermont either.

The only thing about New Mexico State and Vermont is that some people had them as second-tier trendy upset picks, but no one had either of them in the Elite 8, so not a lot of points were lost.  We are down to 41 perfect brackets after the first 4 games.  169 people went 2/2 in the last 2 games – so pretty chalky.  Here are the updated standings:

1. Becky H.: 4 (0)

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

1. Bhav R. #1: 4 (0)

1. Brent S. #3: 4 (0)

1. Bret K. #1: 4 (0)

1. Bret K. #2: 4 (0)

1. Bret K. #3: 4 (0)

1. Chad L.: 4 (0)

1. Chris T. #1: 4 (0)

1. Chris T. #2: 4 (0)

1. Chris T. #3: 4 (0)

1. Chris T. #4: 4 (0)

1. Daisy N. #11: 4 (0)

1. Daisy N. #12: 4 (0)

1. Daisy N. #13: 4 (0)

1. Daisy N. #6: 4 (0)

1. Dan D. #2: 4 (0)

1. David W.: 4 (0)

1. Dennis R. #1: 4 (0)

1. Dennis R. #2: 4 (0)

1. Irene H. #5: 4 (0)

1. Irene H. #7: 4 (0)

1. Jacob A.: 4 (0)

1. Jaxon S.: 4 (0)

1. Jay K.: 4 (0)

1. Joel B. #5: 4 (0)

1. Karim D.: 4 (0)

1. Klei R. #1: 4 (0)

1. Luis B. #2: 4 (0)

1. Mike S. #1: 4 (0)

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

1. Mike W.: 4 (0)

1. Nikolajs B.: 4 (0)

1. Ray W. #1: 4 (0)

1. Ray W. #5: 4 (0)

1. Scott Her. #2: 4 (0)

1. Scott K. #2: 4 (0)

1. Taima B. #1: 4 (0)

1. Taima B. #2: 4 (0)

1. Valerie D.: 4 (0)

1. Washington Post: 4 (0)

42. Adam E. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Adam S.: 3 (-1)

42. Alex P.: 3 (-1)

42. Alexander N. #4: 3 (-1)

42. Ally H.: 3 (-1)

42. Alyssa B.: 3 (-1)

42. Andy P.: 3 (-1)

42. Ben P.: 3 (-1)

42. Ben S. #3: 3 (-1)

42. Ben W. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Brent E. #2: 3 (-1)

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

42. Brent E. #4: 3 (-1)

42. Brent S. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Brent S. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Brent S. #4: 3 (-1)

42. Brett W.: 3 (-1)

42. Bryce S.: 3 (-1)

42. Carlos B. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Carlos B. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Chris M.: 3 (-1)

42. Chrissy I: 3 (-1)

42. Craig G.: 3 (-1)

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

42. Daisy N. #10: 3 (-1)

42. Daisy N. #14: 3 (-1)

42. Daisy N. #15: 3 (-1)

42. Daisy N. #17: 3 (-1)

42. Daisy N. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Daisy N. #5: 3 (-1)

42. Daisy N. #8: 3 (-1)

42. Daisy N. #9: 3 (-1)

42. Damien R. #2: 3 (-1)

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

42. Damien R. #4: 3 (-1)

42. Dan D.: 3 (-1)

42. Dan D. #1: 3 (-1)

42. David S.: 3 (-1)

42. Dustin B.: 3 (-1)

42. Dylan B.: 3 (-1)

42. E. Rucker #1: 3 (-1)

42. E. Rucker #2: 3 (-1)

42. Elizabeth N. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Elizabeth N. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Elizabeth N. #3: 3 (-1)

42. Gigi I: 3 (-1)

42. Harrell R. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Harrell R. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Harrell R. #3: 3 (-1)

42. Hutch H. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Hutch H. #2 : 3 (-1)

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

42. Irene H. #2: 3 (-1)

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

42. Irene H. #4: 3 (-1)

42. J. Mack #2: 3 (-1)

42. James G. #1: 3 (-1)

42. James G. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Janahan A.: 3 (-1)

42. Jared B.: 3 (-1)

42. Jason S.: 3 (-1)

42. Jay Bilas: 3 (-1)

42. Jeff Sagarin: 3 (-1)

42. Jessica McG.: 3 (-1)

42. Jim D. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Jim D. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Jim P.: 3 (-1)

42. Jim W.: 3 (-1)

42. Joe D. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Joe D. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Joel B. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Joel B. #6: 3 (-1)

42. Joel B. #7: 3 (-1)

42. Josh D. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Josh D. #3: 3 (-1)

42. Josh S. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Josh S. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Josiah T. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Josiah T. #3: 3 (-1)

42. Josiah T. #4: 3 (-1)

42. Kate G.: 3 (-1)

42. Ken Pom: 3 (-1)

42. Kevin F. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Kevin F. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Kevin F. #3: 3 (-1)

42. Kiah H.: 3 (-1)

42. Kirt R. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Kirt R. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Luis B. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Marc R.: 3 (-1)

42. Mason A. #1: 3 (-1)

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

42. Matt M.: 3 (-1)

42. Matt N.: 3 (-1)

42. Max A. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Max A. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Michelle L. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Michelle L. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Michelle L. #3: 3 (-1)

42. Michelle L. #4: 3 (-1)

42. Michelle R.: 3 (-1)

42. Nate S. - 538: 3 (-1)

42. Nick I: 3 (-1)

42. Niren D.: 3 (-1)

42. Pete J. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Pete J. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Pete J. #3: 3 (-1)

42. Ray W. #3: 3 (-1)

42. Ryan P.: 3 (-1)

42. Sagarin Plus: 3 (-1)

42. Scott Her. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Scott K. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Stephanie P.: 3 (-1)

42. Stephen H.: 3 (-1)

42. Szecho L. #1: 3 (-1)

42. Szecho L. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Tim D.: 3 (-1)

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

42. Tomas L.: 3 (-1)

42. Wayne D. #2: 3 (-1)

42. Zach T.: 3 (-1)

163. Ben J. #2: 3 (-3)

163. Brad R.: 3 (-3)

163. Craig McG.: 3 (-3)

163. Michelle L. #5: 3 (-3)

163. Noah N.: 3 (-3)

163. Todd K. #2: 3 (-3)

169. Brian K.: 3 (-7)

169. Molly R.: 3 (-7)

169. Rob I #1: 3 (-7)

169. Todd K. #4: 3 (-7)

173. Alexander N. #5: 2 (-2)

173. Ben J. #1: 2 (-2)

173. Daisy N. #16: 2 (-2)

173. Daisy N. #3: 2 (-2)

173. Damien R. #1: 2 (-2)

173. Howard S.: 2 (-2)

173. Irene H. #6: 2 (-2)

173. Jay H. #1: 2 (-2)

173. Jay H. #2: 2 (-2)

173. Joel B. #1: 2 (-2)

173. Josiah T. #1: 2 (-2)

173. Pete J. #4: 2 (-2)

173. Regina L.: 2 (-2)

173. Stefon K.: 2 (-2)

173. Steve Dz.: 2 (-2)

173. Tristan E.: 2 (-2)

173. Veronica A.: 2 (-2)

190. Alexander N. #1: 2 (-4)

190. Alexander N. #2: 2 (-4)

190. Alexander N. #3: 2 (-4)

190. Ben S. #1: 2 (-4)

190. Ben S. #2: 2 (-4)

190. Ben S. #4: 2 (-4)

190. Brent E. #1: 2 (-4)

190. Daisy N. #4: 2 (-4)

190. Daisy N. #7: 2 (-4)

190. Dan C.: 2 (-4)

190. Jackson I: 2 (-4)

190. Jason L.: 2 (-4)

190. Joel B. #3: 2 (-4)

190. Joel B. #4: 2 (-4)

190. Klei R. #2: 2 (-4)

190. Mark D.: 2 (-4)

190. Mike N.: 2 (-4)

190. Pete J. #5: 2 (-4)

190. Ryan W.: 2 (-4)

190. Todd K. #3: 2 (-4)

190. Wayne D. #1: 2 (-4)

211. Nick V.: 2 (-6)

211. Ray W. #2: 2 (-6)

213. Alex I: 2 (-8)

213. Bhav R. #2: 2 (-8)

213. J. Mack #1: 2 (-8)

216. Josh D. #1: 2 (-10)

217. J. Mack #3: 2 (-16)

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

218. Ben J. #4: 1 (-3)

218. William G. #1: 1 (-3)

221. Ben J. #3: 1 (-5)

221. Ray W. #4: 1 (-5)

221. Rob I #2: 1 (-5)

221. Wayne D. #3: 1 (-5)

225. Rich W.: 1 (-7)

226. Tim N.: 1 (-9)

227. William G. #2: 1 (-11)

There are currently 2 games going on, and in both of them, the lower seeded team is winning.  Belmont looks every bit the upset special against Maryland.  I think they’ve been leading virtually the entire first half.  Michigan State losing at half time is the real surprise.  As my friend, and MSU superfan reminds me, MSU is a second half team.  I’ve watched a lot of them this year, and I’d have to say that he’s right.  I’m not sure what their splits, but I bet they would show that they play significantly better in the second half.  We will see.  It would be a tremendous upset if MSU went down.

The last 2 games of the morning session are about to go off:

Picks for Kansas: 194

Picks for Northeastern: 33

Vegas Line: Kansas -6.5

I am never really a big fan of Kansas, and this year’s Kansas team is especially down in comparison to a lot of their recent teams.  I can’t remember too many times that Kansas has actually lost in the first round, but maybe this is the year.  Northeastern looks like a pretty trendy pick.  For those scoring at home, the underdog has beat the spread in all 4 games that have finished, so maybe the Huskies can get over that one last hump and win this one.

Picks for Marquette: 118

Picks for Murray State: 109

Vegas Line: Marquette -3.5

This has to be the premier game of these early games, if not the entire first round.  Marquette has been playing pretty poorly at the end of the season, and Murray State has what might possibly be the overall #2 picks of the NBA draft in the offseason.  Both teams play really good offense, and very little defense.  It should be a total track meet, and really fun to watch.  Based on the pick distributions, it looks like there is no consensus on who should win.  I’m really looking forward to it.

Again, here’s the pick score sheet:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1zi_wTuDwtk0gz5CvmhywrD7PyELvzCHM