The Jay K / Washington Post conspiracy edition

First off, apologies to Niren D. for giving him the kiss of death by name-checking him in the last post.  Second off, THIS IS MORE LIKE IT!!!!  We finally had a top 4 seed lose as UC Irvine knocked off Kansas State.  Granted, Kansas State was missing maybe their best player, but the win counts just the same.  There’s no asterisk next UC Irvine in the bracket.  They live to play another day.

We now have a 2-way tie at the top of the standings.  Jay K. and Washington Post are both 18(-2).  If you remember, Washington Post was a bracket I found in the Washington Post that was done through computer modelling.  I think the article even called it “The Perfect Bracket”.  I’m sure I just gave that the kiss of death……  Wait a second.  Now that I look at Jay K.’s picks, they are exactly the same as Washington Post’s, down to Georgia State beating Houston in the first round.  That seems like too much of a coincidence for it to be accidental.  I feel pretty good that I know how Jay K. came up with his picks.  If they win, it will come down to a tie-breaker.  That’s can’t be good.  There is literally no way for Jay K. to win without also winning a tie-breaker.  The consolation would be that losing a tie-breaker means you get 2^nd, which also a lot of money, so don’t feel too bad for him.

The truly amazing thing for me today is that Virginia is somehow, inexplicably losing to Gardner Webb at halftime.  If you had told me to bet my life on one team winning a 1^st round game, I would have taken Duke.  But my second pick would have been Virginia.  If there’s one team that can little afford to be down in the second half it’s Virginia.  All the ghosts of last year will have to sneak into their heads somewhere.  Just wow…..

Here are the updated standings:

1. Jay K.: 18 (-2)

1. Washington Post: 18 (-2)

3. Niren D.: 18 (-4)

4. Brent S. #3: 18 (-6)

5. Alex P.: 17 (-3)

5. Kirt R. #1: 17 (-3)

5. Michelle L. #3: 17 (-3)

5. Michelle L. #4: 17 (-3)

5. Mike W.: 17 (-3)

5. Scott K. #2: 17 (-3)

11. Jacob A.: 17 (-5)

11. Joel B. #5: 17 (-5)

11. Michelle L. #1: 17 (-5)

11. Michelle L. #2: 17 (-5)

15. Brian K.: 17 (-9)

15. Regina L.: 17 (-9)

17. Ben P.: 16 (-4)

17. Chris T. #2: 16 (-4)

17. Chrissy I: 16 (-4)

17. Daisy N. #6: 16 (-4)

17. Dan D. #2: 16 (-4)

17. James G. #1: 16 (-4)

17. Kevin F. #3: 16 (-4)

17. Kiah H.: 16 (-4)

17. Steve Dz.: 16 (-4)

26. Brad R.: 16 (-6)

26. David S.: 16 (-6)

26. David W.: 16 (-6)

26. Dennis R. #1: 16 (-6)

26. Dennis R. #2: 16 (-6)

26. Irene H. #7: 16 (-6)

26. Scott Her. #1: 16 (-6)

26. Taima B. #1: 16 (-6)

26. Taima B. #2: 16 (-6)

26. Todd K. #3: 16 (-6)

26. Tomas L.: 16 (-6)

37. Becky H.: 16 (-8)

37. Josiah T. #2: 16 (-8)

39. Zach T.: 16 (-10)

40. Ray W. #1: 16 (-12)

40. Valerie D.: 16 (-12)

42. Dan D.: 16 (-16)

43. Mason A. #1: 16 (-20)

44. Alyssa B.: 15 (-5)

44. Ben W. #2: 15 (-5)

44. Damien R. #3: 15 (-5)

44. Gigi I: 15 (-5)

44. Joel B. #1: 15 (-5)

44. Josh D. #2: 15 (-5)

44. Kevin F. #1: 15 (-5)

51. Adam S.: 15 (-7)

51. Andy P.: 15 (-7)

51. Brent S. #1: 15 (-7)

51. Harrell R. #2: 15 (-7)

51. Harrell R. #3: 15 (-7)

51. Howard S.: 15 (-7)

51. Joe D. #1: 15 (-7)

51. Joel B. #4: 15 (-7)

51. Luis B. #2: 15 (-7)

60. Elizabeth N. #1: 15 (-9)

60. Hutch H. #1: 15 (-9)

60. Jim W.: 15 (-9)

60. Michelle L. #5: 15 (-9)

60. Scott K. #1: 15 (-9)

65. Ben J. #2: 15 (-11)

65. Damien R. #4: 15 (-11)

67. Bhav R. #2: 15 (-13)

67. Chris T. #1: 15 (-13)

67. Chris T. #3: 15 (-13)

67. Damien R. #2: 15 (-13)

67. Harrell R. #1: 15 (-13)

67. Jared B.: 15 (-13)

67. Josiah T. #4: 15 (-13)

67. Todd K. #4: 15 (-13)

75. J. Mack #3: 15 (-21)

76. Alexander N. #4: 14 (-6)

76. Ben S. #3: 14 (-6)

76. Bret K. #2: 14 (-6)

76. Bret K. #3: 14 (-6)

76. Carlos B. #2: 14 (-6)

76. Craig G.: 14 (-6)

76. Daisy N. #2: 14 (-6)

76. Irene H. #4: 14 (-6)

76. Janahan A.: 14 (-6)

76. Jeff Sagarin: 14 (-6)

76. Jim P.: 14 (-6)

76. Ken Pom: 14 (-6)

76. Ray W. #5: 14 (-6)

89. Ally H.: 14 (-8)

89. Brent E. #2: 14 (-8)

89. Brent E. #3: 14 (-8)

89. Brent E. #4: 14 (-8)

89. Brent S. #4: 14 (-8)

89. Chris M.: 14 (-8)

89. Chris T. #4: 14 (-8)

89. Dan C.: 14 (-8)

89. Dustin B.: 14 (-8)

89. Irene H. #3: 14 (-8)

89. Irene H. #5: 14 (-8)

89. Joel B. #2: 14 (-8)

89. Josh D. #3: 14 (-8)

89. Kirt R. #2: 14 (-8)

89. Klei R. #1: 14 (-8)

89. Luis B. #1: 14 (-8)

89. Matt M.: 14 (-8)

89. Michelle R.: 14 (-8)

89. Nate S. - 538: 14 (-8)

89. Pete J. #1: 14 (-8)

89. Ray W. #3: 14 (-8)

89. Stephen H.: 14 (-8)

111. Chad L.: 14 (-10)

111. Elizabeth N. #3: 14 (-10)

111. Irene H. #1: 14 (-10)

111. Jay H. #2: 14 (-10)

115. Irene H. #2: 14 (-12)

115. Marc R.: 14 (-12)

115. Tim D.: 14 (-12)

118. Alex I: 14 (-14)

118. Josh D. #1: 14 (-14)

118. Kate G.: 14 (-14)

118. Szecho L. #1: 14 (-14)

122. Nick V.: 14 (-16)

123. Molly R.: 14 (-20)

123. Nikolajs B.: 14 (-20)

125. James G. #2: 14 (-22)

125. Nick I: 14 (-22)

127. J. Mack #2: 14 (-24)

127. Rob I #1: 14 (-24)

127. Tristan E.: 14 (-24)

130. Brett W.: 14 (-26)

131. Daisy N. #1: 13 (-7)

131. Dylan B.: 13 (-7)

131. Jim D. #2: 13 (-7)

131. Pete J. #4: 13 (-7)

131. Ryan P.: 13 (-7)

136. Alexander N. #5: 13 (-9)

136. Ben S. #4: 13 (-9)

136. Bhav R. #1: 13 (-9)

136. Brent S. #2: 13 (-9)

136. Carlos B. #1: 13 (-9)

136. Daisy N. #11: 13 (-9)

136. Daisy N. #7: 13 (-9)

136. Daisy N. #8: 13 (-9)

136. Josiah T. #3: 13 (-9)

136. Max A. #2: 13 (-9)

136. Szecho L. #2: 13 (-9)

147. Elizabeth N. #2: 13 (-11)

147. Jason S.: 13 (-11)

147. Jaxon S.: 13 (-11)

147. Jay H. #1: 13 (-11)

147. Joel B. #3: 13 (-11)

147. Pete J. #2: 13 (-11)

147. Stefon K.: 13 (-11)

147. Todd K. #1: 13 (-11)

155. Adam E. #2: 13 (-13)

155. Mike S. #1: 13 (-13)

157. Damien R. #1: 13 (-15)

157. Mike N.: 13 (-15)

157. Ryan W.: 13 (-15)

157. Veronica A.: 13 (-15)

161. Ray W. #2: 13 (-17)

162. Mason A. #2: 13 (-19)

162. Todd K. #2: 13 (-19)

164. Jessica McG.: 13 (-21)

165. Mark D.: 13 (-23)

166. Jim D. #1: 12 (-8)

166. Scott Her. #2: 12 (-8)

168. Ben S. #1: 12 (-10)

168. Ben S. #2: 12 (-10)

168. Craig McG.: 12 (-10)

168. Daisy N. #5: 12 (-10)

168. E. Rucker #1: 12 (-10)

168. E. Rucker #2: 12 (-10)

168. Hutch H. #2 : 12 (-10)

168. Josh S. #2: 12 (-10)

168. Max A. #1: 12 (-10)

168. Pete J. #3: 12 (-10)

168. Sagarin Plus: 12 (-10)

168. Wayne D. #2: 12 (-10)

180. Alexander N. #1: 12 (-12)

180. Alexander N. #2: 12 (-12)

180. Alexander N. #3: 12 (-12)

180. Ben J. #1: 12 (-12)

180. Daisy N. #10: 12 (-12)

180. Daisy N. #12: 12 (-12)

180. Daisy N. #16: 12 (-12)

180. Daisy N. #9: 12 (-12)

180. Irene H. #6: 12 (-12)

180. Jackson I: 12 (-12)

180. Jason L.: 12 (-12)

180. Jay Bilas: 12 (-12)

180. Karim D.: 12 (-12)

180. Matt N.: 12 (-12)

180. Mike S. #2: 12 (-12)

180. Rob I #2: 12 (-12)

196. Bryce S.: 12 (-14)

196. Joe D. #2: 12 (-14)

198. Stephanie P.: 12 (-16)

199. Joel B. #6: 12 (-18)

199. Josh S. #1: 12 (-18)

201. Ben W. #1: 12 (-20)

201. Rich W.: 12 (-20)

201. Tim N.: 12 (-20)

204. Bret K. #1: 12 (-26)

205. J. Mack #1: 12 (-28)

206. Kevin F. #2: 12 (-30)

207. Daisy N. #13: 11 (-11)

208. Ben J. #3: 11 (-13)

208. Daisy N. #14: 11 (-13)

208. Daisy N. #3: 11 (-13)

208. Joel B. #7: 11 (-13)

208. Josiah T. #1: 11 (-13)

213. Ben J. #4: 11 (-15)

213. Brent E. #1: 11 (-15)

215. Klei R. #2: 11 (-17)

216. Noah N.: 11 (-19)

216. Wayne D. #1: 11 (-19)

218. Daisy N. #4: 11 (-21)

218. William G. #2: 11 (-21)

220. Daisy N. #15: 11 (-25)

220. William G. #1: 11 (-25)

222. Daisy N. #17: 10 (-14)

223. Pete J. #5: 10 (-16)

224. Wayne D. #3: 10 (-18)

225. Dan D. #1: 10 (-20)

226. Adam E. #1: 10 (-22)

227. Ray W. #4: 9 (-15)

..and the net point standings:

1. Jay K. (16)

1. Washington Post (16)

3. Niren D. (14)

3. Alex P. (14)

3. Kirt R. #1 (14)

3. Michelle L. #3 (14)

3. Michelle L. #4 (14)

3. Mike W. (14)

3. Scott K. #2 (14)

10. Brent S. #3 (12)

10. Jacob A. (12)

10. Joel B. #5 (12)

10. Michelle L. #1 (12)

10. Michelle L. #2 (12)

10. Ben P. (12)

10. Chris T. #2 (12)

10. Chrissy I (12)

10. Daisy N. #6 (12)

10. Dan D. #2 (12)

10. James G. #1 (12)

10. Kevin F. #3 (12)

10. Kiah H. (12)

10. Steve Dz. (12)

24. Brad R. (10)

24. David S. (10)

24. David W. (10)

24. Dennis R. #1 (10)

24. Dennis R. #2 (10)

24. Irene H. #7 (10)

24. Scott Her. #1 (10)

24. Taima B. #1 (10)

24. Taima B. #2 (10)

24. Todd K. #3 (10)

24. Tomas L. (10)

24. Alyssa B. (10)

24. Ben W. #2 (10)

24. Damien R. #3 (10)

24. Gigi I (10)

24. Joel B. #1 (10)

24. Josh D. #2 (10)

24. Kevin F. #1 (10)

42. Brian K. (8)

42. Regina L. (8)

42. Becky H. (8)

42. Josiah T. #2 (8)

42. Adam S. (8)

42. Andy P. (8)

42. Brent S. #1 (8)

42. Harrell R. #2 (8)

42. Harrell R. #3 (8)

42. Howard S. (8)

42. Joe D. #1 (8)

42. Joel B. #4 (8)

42. Luis B. #2 (8)

42. Alexander N. #4 (8)

42. Ben S. #3 (8)

42. Bret K. #2 (8)

42. Bret K. #3 (8)

42. Carlos B. #2 (8)

42. Craig G. (8)

42. Daisy N. #2 (8)

42. Irene H. #4 (8)

42. Janahan A. (8)

42. Jeff Sagarin (8)

42. Jim P. (8)

42. Ken Pom (8)

42. Ray W. #5 (8)

68. Zach T. (6)

68. Elizabeth N. #1 (6)

68. Hutch H. #1 (6)

68. Jim W. (6)

68. Michelle L. #5 (6)

68. Scott K. #1 (6)

68. Ally H. (6)

68. Brent E. #2 (6)

68. Brent E. #3 (6)

68. Brent E. #4 (6)

68. Brent S. #4 (6)

68. Chris M. (6)

68. Chris T. #4 (6)

68. Dan C. (6)

68. Dustin B. (6)

68. Irene H. #3 (6)

68. Irene H. #5 (6)

68. Joel B. #2 (6)

68. Josh D. #3 (6)

68. Kirt R. #2 (6)

68. Klei R. #1 (6)

68. Luis B. #1 (6)

68. Matt M. (6)

68. Michelle R. (6)

68. Nate S. - 538 (6)

68. Pete J. #1 (6)

68. Ray W. #3 (6)

68. Stephen H. (6)

68. Daisy N. #1 (6)

68. Dylan B. (6)

68. Jim D. #2 (6)

68. Pete J. #4 (6)

68. Ryan P. (6)

101. Ray W. #1 (4)

101. Valerie D. (4)

101. Ben J. #2 (4)

101. Damien R. #4 (4)

101. Chad L. (4)

101. Elizabeth N. #3 (4)

101. Irene H. #1 (4)

101. Jay H. #2 (4)

101. Alexander N. #5 (4)

101. Ben S. #4 (4)

101. Bhav R. #1 (4)

101. Brent S. #2 (4)

101. Carlos B. #1 (4)

101. Daisy N. #11 (4)

101. Daisy N. #7 (4)

101. Daisy N. #8 (4)

101. Josiah T. #3 (4)

101. Max A. #2 (4)

101. Szecho L. #2 (4)

101. Jim D. #1 (4)

101. Scott Her. #2 (4)

122. Bhav R. #2 (2)

122. Chris T. #1 (2)

122. Chris T. #3 (2)

122. Damien R. #2 (2)

122. Harrell R. #1 (2)

122. Jared B. (2)

122. Josiah T. #4 (2)

122. Todd K. #4 (2)

122. Irene H. #2 (2)

122. Marc R. (2)

122. Tim D. (2)

122. Elizabeth N. #2 (2)

122. Jason S. (2)

122. Jaxon S. (2)

122. Jay H. #1 (2)

122. Joel B. #3 (2)

122. Pete J. #2 (2)

122. Stefon K. (2)

122. Todd K. #1 (2)

122. Ben S. #1 (2)

122. Ben S. #2 (2)

122. Craig McG. (2)

122. Daisy N. #5 (2)

122. E. Rucker #1 (2)

122. E. Rucker #2 (2)

122. Hutch H. #2  (2)

122. Josh S. #2 (2)

122. Max A. #1 (2)

122. Pete J. #3 (2)

122. Sagarin Plus (2)

122. Wayne D. #2 (2)

153. Dan D. (0)

153. Alex I (0)

153. Josh D. #1 (0)

153. Kate G. (0)

153. Szecho L. #1 (0)

153. Adam E. #2 (0)

153. Mike S. #1 (0)

153. Alexander N. #1 (0)

153. Alexander N. #2 (0)

153. Alexander N. #3 (0)

153. Ben J. #1 (0)

153. Daisy N. #10 (0)

153. Daisy N. #12 (0)

153. Daisy N. #16 (0)

153. Daisy N. #9 (0)

153. Irene H. #6 (0)

153. Jackson I (0)

153. Jason L. (0)

153. Jay Bilas (0)

153. Karim D. (0)

153. Matt N. (0)

153. Mike S. #2 (0)

153. Rob I #2 (0)

153. Daisy N. #13 (0)

177. Nick V. (-2)

177. Damien R. #1 (-2)

177. Mike N. (-2)

177. Ryan W. (-2)

177. Veronica A. (-2)

177. Bryce S. (-2)

177. Joe D. #2 (-2)

177. Ben J. #3 (-2)

177. Daisy N. #14 (-2)

177. Daisy N. #3 (-2)

177. Joel B. #7 (-2)

177. Josiah T. #1 (-2)

189. Mason A. #1 (-4)

189. Ray W. #2 (-4)

189. Stephanie P. (-4)

189. Ben J. #4 (-4)

189. Brent E. #1 (-4)

189. Daisy N. #17 (-4)

195. J. Mack #3 (-6)

195. Molly R. (-6)

195. Nikolajs B. (-6)

195. Mason A. #2 (-6)

195. Todd K. #2 (-6)

195. Joel B. #6 (-6)

195. Josh S. #1 (-6)

195. Klei R. #2 (-6)

195. Pete J. #5 (-6)

195. Ray W. #4 (-6)

205. James G. #2 (-8)

205. Nick I (-8)

205. Jessica McG. (-8)

205. Ben W. #1 (-8)

205. Rich W. (-8)

205. Tim N. (-8)

205. Noah N. (-8)

205. Wayne D. #1 (-8)

205. Wayne D. #3 (-8)

214. J. Mack #2 (-10)

214. Rob I #1 (-10)

214. Tristan E. (-10)

214. Mark D. (-10)

214. Daisy N. #4 (-10)

214. William G. #2 (-10)

214. Dan D. #1 (-10)

221. Brett W. (-12)

221. Adam E. #1 (-12)

223. Bret K. #1 (-14)

223. Daisy N. #15 (-14)

223. William G. #1 (-14)

226. J. Mack #1 (-16)

227. Kevin F. #2 (-18)

The last 2 games of the morning session are going off pretty soon, so here’s the details:

Picks for Buffalo: 162

Picks for Arizona State: 65

Vegas Line: Buffalo -4.5

As someone that has a degree from a MAC school, I feel obligated to pick the MAC school to win at least one game in every tournament.  It just so happens that this year that team is actually favored.  I’ve watched a lot of Buffalo basketball this year, and they can get really hot.  If they do in this game, Arizona State won’t have much of a chance.  Honestly, I think you can probably say that exact same sentence about every team in this bracket, so I’m not sure how insightful that is.  They do shoot a lot of 3s though.  Arizona State is the remaining play-in game team.  I think I saw something like of the 13 play-in winners that have won a round of 64 game, 12 of them came from the Wednesday game.  Arizona State has a chance to continue that streak.

Picks for Wisconsin: 142

Picks for Oregon: 85

Vegas Line: Wisconsin -2

This is another trendy pick.  I actually bet on Oregon to win the PAC-12 tournament as a 6 seed.  Granted, the Pac 12 was not very good this year, but this is the first game (other than the play-in game) for any Pac 12 team, so we’ll see if the regular season performance carries over to the post season or not.  The bittersweet thing for me is that we won’t get to see Bol Bol play for Oregon.  He is the son of my all-time favorite basketball player, Manute Bol.  He’s 7’3” and can shoot from the outside.  He’s injured and will almost certainly go pro after this season.  I think part of the reason Oregon was so bad this season is because they were basing their offense around Bol Bol, and when he got hurt, they had to figure out how to play again.  They may have figured it out later in the season, which could spell trouble for Wisconsin.  We’ll see.

Go Gardner Webb!!!!!