March Madness - Day 3 (I think the Big 10 may have been overrated)

 We are off to a fantastic start!!!  As some of you may know, I keep track of all the college basketball games during the season, and I had Loyola-Chicago rated #12 in the country at the end of the season.  I thought they got ripped off being an #8 seed.  If they were in another region, I would have picked them to win more games.  Unfortunately, I had Illinois at #5, so I couldn’t really pick the Ramblers.  Still, I thought the game would be close.  I had no idea how well Loyola-Chicago was going to play.  They looked like the better team the entire game.  Often time when a team is clearly better, they get out to about a 10-point lead and just keep that distance the entire second half.  That’s pretty much what happened to Illinois.

That’s pretty terrible for most of the people in the pool.  Kind of like Ohio State, the key right now is how far you had Illinois going.  If you managed to pick some other team to come out of the Midwest region, you probably moved up in the net points standings.  Before the people that picked Houston or West Virginia get too chesty, they haven’t played their 2^nd round games yet.  Who knows what will happen.  Just know that field is a little more open than it was a few hours ago.

Baylor actually looked like a #1 seed.  I have to change my saying from “Baylor will always let you down” to “Baylor hasn’t let me down yet”.  Still, with no Ohio State or Illinois on this half of the bracket, Baylor has to be the favorite to make the Finals.  We are 4 games away from that, but you have to like it if you took Baylor to the finals right now.

So, not many people got points for Loyola-Chicago.  If you did, congratulations!  You gained at least 2 points on the field, and depending on what happens in the next round, you could pick up even more.  That’s the time of bold picking I like to see rewarded.  The trick is when to be bold and when to not be bold.  If you took North Carolina to make the Sweet 16, it would be bold, but would have cost you at least 3 points.  As I always say, the people that win will totally retcon their picks to say they “had a feeling about Team X” if they win.  It happens every year.

Only 9 entries got the full 4 points over the 2 games.  149 got 2 and 23 people got 0 points.  This feels like a low point scoring year.  I’m going to say that points of any kind are at a premium already.  No one has any kind of lead that will allow you to coast.  Everyone is going to lose games and everyone is going to need to pick as many points as possible where they can.

Here are the total points rankings:

1. Harrell R. #2: 28 (-20) - Iowa

2. Harrell R. #1: 28 (-44) - Gonzaga

3. Jace D.: 27 (-23) - Florida

4. Jared B.: 27 (-49) - Gonzaga

4. Klei R. #3 - Jay B.: 27 (-49) - Gonzaga

6. Dennis R. #2: 27 (-61) - Michigan

7. Howard S. #1: 26 (-24) - Baylor

8. Hutch H. #2: 26 (-32) - Baylor

9. Colston W.: 26 (-34) - Michigan

10. Tina H.: 26 (-52) - Michigan

11. Harrell R. #3: 26 (-58) - Michigan

12. Jaxon S.: 26 (-62) - Gonzaga

13. Brandon B.: 26 (-84) - Illinois

14. Dylan B.: 26 (-86) - Illinois

15. William G. #1: 25 (-29) - Baylor

16. Scott K.: 25 (-31) - Baylor

16. Adam E. #1: 25 (-31) - Oklahoma State

18. Chris T. #1: 25 (-33) - Gonzaga

18. Mark A. #1: 25 (-33) - Baylor

20. Dianna A.: 25 (-35) - Arkansas

20. Jim D. #2: 25 (-35) - Gonzaga

20. Peter J. #4: 25 (-35) - Baylor

20. Hutch H. #3: 25 (-35) - Kansas

24. Jason S.: 25 (-37) - Gonzaga

25. Craig G.: 25 (-47) - Baylor

25. Peter J. #1: 25 (-47) - Gonzaga

27. Rob I.: 25 (-49) - Gonzaga

28. Jackson I.: 25 (-51) - Baylor

29. Peter J. #3: 25 (-57) - Michigan

30. Keal B.: 25 (-59) - Michigan

31. Bret K. #1: 25 (-61) - Gonzaga

32. Nate R.: 25 (-65) - Gonzaga

32. Mike N.: 25 (-65) - Gonzaga

34. James P.: 25 (-75) - Illinois

35. Chris T. #2: 25 (-79) - Illinois

36. Mason A. #2: 25 (-81) - Illinois

37. Cicely K.: 25 (-89) - Ohio State

38. Dennis R. #1: 25 (-99) - Illinois

39. Chad L.: 25 (-105) - Ohio State

40. Owen R.: 25 (-113) - UC Santa Barbara

41. Irene H. #4: 25 (-115) - Texas

42. Ben W.: 24 (-18) - Gonzaga

43. Roth W.: 24 (-30) - Baylor

43. Karen C.: 24 (-30) - Gonzaga

45. Scott H. #1: 24 (-32) - Gonzaga

45. Mike Wi.: 24 (-32) - Iowa

45. Michelle L. #2: 24 (-32) - Houston

48. Justin M.: 24 (-36) - Gonzaga

48. Missy W.: 24 (-36) - Baylor

50. Daisy N. #2: 24 (-48) - Gonzaga

50. Irene H. #3: 24 (-48) - Baylor

50. Tomas L. #1: 24 (-48) - Baylor

53. Marc R.: 24 (-50) - Gonzaga

54. Hutch H. #1: 24 (-52) - Gonzaga

55. Alyssa B.: 24 (-54) - Gonzaga

56. Klei R. - BO: 24 (-56) - Gonzaga

57. Brad R. #4: 24 (-60) - Michigan

58. Valerie D.: 24 (-66) - Gonzaga

59. Brett G. #3: 24 (-82) - Illinois

60. Amanda R.: 24 (-84) - Ohio State

61. Ann K.: 24 (-90) - Illinois

62. Irene H. #1: 24 (-92) - Illinois

63. Steve D.: 24 (-100) - Illinois

63. Dustin B.: 24 (-100) - Illinois

65. Zach V.: 24 (-102) - Illinois

66. Daisy N. #9: 24 (-128) - Texas

67. Molly R.: 23 (-19) - Michigan

68. Irene H. #6: 23 (-23) - Michigan

69. Bret K. #2: 23 (-27) - Baylor

69. Irene H. #2: 23 (-27) - Gonzaga

71. Brain K. #1: 23 (-29) - Alabama

72. Ray M. #2: 23 (-31) - Kansas

72. Jay H. #3: 23 (-31) - Kansas

72. Howard S. #2: 23 (-31) - Houston

75. Matt M.: 23 (-33) - Gonzaga

75. Gigi I.: 23 (-33) - Gonzaga

75. Alex I.: 23 (-33) - Gonzaga

78. Clifton H. #2: 23 (-35) - Gonzaga

78. Tomas L. #2: 23 (-35) - Baylor

80. Andrew D. #1: 23 (-37) - Baylor

80. Matt N.: 23 (-37) - Baylor

80. Chris E.: 23 (-37) - Iowa

83. Paul W.: 23 (-41) - Houston

84. Jim D. #1: 23 (-53) - Gonzaga

84. Jay H. #1: 23 (-53) - Gonzaga

84. Juju Suki I.: 23 (-53) - Oklahoma State

87. Tyler B.: 23 (-55) - Michigan

88. Daisy N. #4: 23 (-61) - Gonzaga

89. Chun W. #4: 23 (-65) - Alabama

90. Andrew D. #2: 23 (-85) - Illinois

91. William G. #2: 23 (-87) - Illinois

92. Brent E. #3: 23 (-89) - Illinois

93. Peter J. #2: 23 (-93) - Illinois

93. Elizabeth N. #2: 23 (-93) - Illinois

95. Irene H. #5: 23 (-95) - Ohio State

96. Chun W. #1: 23 (-97) - Illinois

97. Michael Wh.: 23 (-99) - Illinois

98. Dave M.: 23 (-109) - Illinois

99. Peter J. #5: 22 (-18) - Oklahoma State

100. Brain K. #3: 22 (-20) - Gonzaga

100. Brain K. #2: 22 (-20) - Oklahoma State

102. Jonathan J.: 22 (-26) - Gonzaga

103. Clifton H. #1: 22 (-30) - Michigan

103. Ally H.: 22 (-30) - Gonzaga

105. Brent E. #4: 22 (-38) - Baylor

105. Brandon H. #2: 22 (-38) - Houston

107. Stefon K.: 22 (-40) - Gonzaga

108. Chun W. #2: 22 (-42) - Gonzaga

109. JoJo D.: 22 (-46) - Oklahoma State

110. Josh C.: 22 (-50) - Baylor

111. Eric V.: 22 (-52) - Gonzaga

112. Chun W. #3: 22 (-54) - Iowa

113. Brent E. #2: 22 (-56) - Michigan

114. Kirt R. #1: 22 (-60) - Gonzaga

114. Klei R. - Seth D.: 22 (-60) - Gonzaga

116. Brandon H. #1: 22 (-66) - Gonzaga

117. Daisy N. #1: 22 (-72) - Gonzaga

118. John M. #4: 22 (-84) - Georgetown

119. Jim W.: 22 (-86) - Illinois

120. Elliot N.: 22 (-88) - Illinois

121. Adam E. #2: 22 (-96) - Illinois

121. Dan Dz.: 22 (-96) - Illinois

123. Addie H.: 22 (-98) - Ohio State

124. Ryan W.: 22 (-100) - Illinois

125. Klei R. - WaPo: 22 (-104) - Illinois

126. Mike S.: 22 (-108) - Illinois

127. Klei R. #1: 21 (-29) - Gonzaga

128. Jay H. #2: 21 (-37) - Baylor

129. Brett G. #4: 21 (-41) - Baylor

129. Brad R. #2: 21 (-41) - Gonzaga

131. Elizabeth N. #1: 21 (-43) - Gonzaga

131. Kirt R. #2: 21 (-43) - Gonzaga

133. Brett W.: 21 (-63) - Gonzaga

134. Nick V.: 21 (-65) - Gonzaga

135. Brain K. #4: 21 (-67) - Florida State

135. Michelle L. #1: 21 (-67) - Gonzaga

137. Daniel Du.: 21 (-71) - Oregon

138. Avery S.: 21 (-75) - Gonzaga

139. Mark A. #2: 21 (-79) - Michigan

140. Virginia L.: 21 (-91) - Texas

141. Daniel E.: 21 (-97) - Illinois

141. Mike McQ.: 21 (-97) - Texas

143. Noah N.: 21 (-101) - Illinois

143. Shawn M.: 21 (-101) - Illinois

145. Brad R. #1: 21 (-105) - Illinois

146. Brett G. #2: 20 (-36) - Gonzaga

147. Daisy N. #3: 20 (-40) - Baylor

148. Drew R.: 20 (-42) - Gonzaga

149. Paul Kr.: 20 (-44) - Gonzaga

149. Daisy N. #5: 20 (-44) - West Virginia

149. Becky H: 20 (-44) - Michigan

152. Scott H. #2: 20 (-52) - Gonzaga

153. Eric G. #1: 20 (-56) - Gonzaga

154. John M. #1: 20 (-60) - Gonzaga

155. Gary W.: 20 (-62) - Gonzaga

156. Brent E. #1: 20 (-68) - Gonzaga

156. Dan C.: 20 (-68) - Gonzaga

158. Chrissy I.: 20 (-70) - Gonzaga

159. Daisy N. #8: 20 (-72) - Iowa

159. John M. #3: 20 (-72) - Florida State

161. Ray M. #1: 20 (-78) - Gonzaga

162. Brett G. #1: 20 (-80) - Gonzaga

163. Michelle L. #3: 20 (-104) - Illinois

164. Damien R. #2: 20 (-118) - Illinois

165. Damien R. #4: 20 (-128) - Ohio State

166. Mason A. #1: 19 (-35) - Gonzaga

167. Eric S.: 19 (-47) - Baylor

168. Daisy N. #10: 19 (-61) - Kansas

169. Damien R. #1: 19 (-69) - Gonzaga

170. Klei R. #2: 19 (-87) - Illinois

171. Eric G. #2: 19 (-91) - Illinois

172. Brad R. #3: 19 (-99) - Ohio State

173. Daisy N. #6: 19 (-111) - Illinois

174. Andy M.: 18 (-92) - Connecticut

175. Daisy N. #7: 18 (-102) - Ohio State

176. Cindy R.: 18 (-146) - Virginia

177. Nick I.: 17 (-55) - Gonzaga

178. John M. #2: 17 (-145) - Connecticut

179. Tucker D.: 16 (-68) - Alabama

180. Damien R. #3: 15 (-79) - Gonzaga

181. Alyssa N.: 15 (-97) - Gonzaga

 …and the net points rankings:

1. Harrell R. #2 (8)

2. Ben W. (6)

3. Jace D. (4)

3. Molly R. (4)

3. Peter J. #5 (4)

6. Howard S. #1 (2)

6. Brain K. #3 (2)

6. Brain K. #2 (2)

9. Irene H. #6 (0)

10. William G. #1 (-4)

10. Bret K. #2 (-4)

10. Irene H. #2 (-4)

10. Jonathan J. (-4)

14. Hutch H. #2 (-6)

14. Scott K. (-6)

14. Adam E. #1 (-6)

14. Roth W. (-6)

14. Karen C. (-6)

14. Brain K. #1 (-6)

20. Colston W. (-8)

20. Chris T. #1 (-8)

20. Mark A. #1 (-8)

20. Scott H. #1 (-8)

20. Mike Wi. (-8)

20. Michelle L. #2 (-8)

20. Ray M. #2 (-8)

20. Jay H. #3 (-8)

20. Howard S. #2 (-8)

20. Clifton H. #1 (-8)

20. Ally H. (-8)

20. Klei R. #1 (-8)

32. Dianna A. (-10)

32. Jim D. #2 (-10)

32. Peter J. #4 (-10)

32. Hutch H. #3 (-10)

32. Matt M. (-10)

32. Gigi I. (-10)

32. Alex I. (-10)

39. Jason S. (-12)

39. Justin M. (-12)

39. Missy W. (-12)

39. Clifton H. #2 (-12)

39. Tomas L. #2 (-12)

44. Andrew D. #1 (-14)

44. Matt N. (-14)

44. Chris E. (-14)

47. Harrell R. #1 (-16)

47. Brent E. #4 (-16)

47. Brandon H. #2 (-16)

47. Jay H. #2 (-16)

47. Brett G. #2 (-16)

47. Mason A. #1 (-16)

53. Paul W. (-18)

53. Stefon K. (-18)

55. Chun W. #2 (-20)

55. Brett G. #4 (-20)

55. Brad R. #2 (-20)

55. Daisy N. #3 (-20)

59. Jared B. (-22)

59. Klei R. #3 - Jay B. (-22)

59. Craig G. (-22)

59. Peter J. #1 (-22)

59. Elizabeth N. #1 (-22)

59. Kirt R. #2 (-22)

59. Drew R. (-22)

66. Rob I. (-24)

66. Daisy N. #2 (-24)

66. Irene H. #3 (-24)

66. Tomas L. #1 (-24)

66. JoJo D. (-24)

66. Paul Kr. (-24)

66. Daisy N. #5 (-24)

66. Becky H (-24)

74. Tina H. (-26)

74. Jackson I. (-26)

74. Marc R. (-26)

77. Hutch H. #1 (-28)

77. Josh C. (-28)

77. Eric S. (-28)

80. Alyssa B. (-30)

80. Jim D. #1 (-30)

80. Jay H. #1 (-30)

80. Juju Suki I. (-30)

80. Eric V. (-30)

85. Harrell R. #3 (-32)

85. Peter J. #3 (-32)

85. Klei R. - BO (-32)

85. Tyler B. (-32)

85. Chun W. #3 (-32)

85. Scott H. #2 (-32)

91. Dennis R. #2 (-34)

91. Keal B. (-34)

91. Brent E. #2 (-34)

94. Jaxon S. (-36)

94. Bret K. #1 (-36)

94. Brad R. #4 (-36)

94. Eric G. #1 (-36)

98. Daisy N. #4 (-38)

98. Kirt R. #1 (-38)

98. Klei R. - Seth D. (-38)

98. Nick I. (-38)

102. Nate R. (-40)

102. Mike N. (-40)

102. John M. #1 (-40)

105. Valerie D. (-42)

105. Chun W. #4 (-42)

105. Brett W. (-42)

105. Gary W. (-42)

105. Daisy N. #10 (-42)

110. Brandon H. #1 (-44)

110. Nick V. (-44)

112. Brain K. #4 (-46)

112. Michelle L. #1 (-46)

114. Brent E. #1 (-48)

114. Dan C. (-48)

116. James P. (-50)

116. Daisy N. #1 (-50)

116. Daniel Du. (-50)

116. Chrissy I. (-50)

116. Damien R. #1 (-50)

121. Daisy N. #8 (-52)

121. John M. #3 (-52)

121. Tucker D. (-52)

124. Chris T. #2 (-54)

124. Avery S. (-54)

126. Mason A. #2 (-56)

127. Brandon B. (-58)

127. Brett G. #3 (-58)

127. Mark A. #2 (-58)

127. Ray M. #1 (-58)

131. Dylan B. (-60)

131. Amanda R. (-60)

131. Brett G. #1 (-60)

134. Andrew D. #2 (-62)

134. John M. #4 (-62)

136. Cicely K. (-64)

136. William G. #2 (-64)

136. Jim W. (-64)

136. Damien R. #3 (-64)

140. Ann K. (-66)

140. Brent E. #3 (-66)

140. Elliot N. (-66)

143. Irene H. #1 (-68)

143. Klei R. #2 (-68)

145. Peter J. #2 (-70)

145. Elizabeth N. #2 (-70)

145. Virginia L. (-70)

148. Irene H. #5 (-72)

148. Eric G. #2 (-72)

150. Dennis R. #1 (-74)

150. Chun W. #1 (-74)

150. Adam E. #2 (-74)

150. Dan Dz. (-74)

150. Andy M. (-74)

155. Steve D. (-76)

155. Dustin B. (-76)

155. Michael Wh. (-76)

155. Addie H. (-76)

155. Daniel E. (-76)

155. Mike McQ. (-76)

161. Zach V. (-78)

161. Ryan W. (-78)

163. Chad L. (-80)

163. Noah N. (-80)

163. Shawn M. (-80)

163. Brad R. #3 (-80)

167. Klei R. - WaPo (-82)

167. Alyssa N. (-82)

169. Brad R. #1 (-84)

169. Michelle L. #3 (-84)

169. Daisy N. #7 (-84)

172. Dave M. (-86)

172. Mike S. (-86)

174. Owen R. (-88)

175. Irene H. #4 (-90)

176. Daisy N. #6 (-92)

177. Damien R. #2 (-98)

178. Daisy N. #9 (-104)

179. Damien R. #4 (-108)

180. Cindy R. (-128)

180. John M. #2 (-128)

 Ouch.  I just looked.  Remember yesterday when I said Cindy R. was having an epically bad run?  She lost the last of her Final 4 teams just now when Wisconsin lost.  She’s the first person to lose all Final 4 teams.  This is a very strange year.

Notice Harrell R. #2.  He has the healthiest bracket left in the tournament.  How healthy is it?  He has Baylor and Loyola-Chicago in the Final 4.  Does that seem strange to anyone right now?  Anything could happen from here on out.

Picks for West Virginia: 89

Picks for Syracuse: 20

Other picks: 72

Vegas Line: West Virginia -4

This is going to be a tough one for me.  I think West Virginia is overrated at #3.  Syracuse just ran San Diego State out of the gym, so I’m loathe to pull for them to win another game – especially with the Buddy Boeheim worship that is going on on CBS.  That being said, if you picked San Diego State to win this game, you are probably better served if Syracuse wins this game.  That way, you would only lose points to 20 people as opposed to the 89 you would lose points to if the Mountaineers win.  This seems like a “Battle of Stalingrad” situation.  It’s a game where I don’t want either team to win.  I want them to beat each other so they can lose in the next round, whoever wins.

Picks for Arkansas: 98

Picks for Texas Tech: 62

Other: 21

Vegas Line: Texas Tech -1.5

It’s another one of those games where the Vegas line is against the seeding, as Arkansas is the #3 and Texas Tech is the #6.  Granted, Arkansas didn’t exactly set the world on fire against Colgate in the first round.  I think Texas Tech is totally overrated.  Both of these team needs to not look too far ahead.  The winner of this game would get the winner of the Florida / Oral Roberts game in the next round.  You’ve gotta love your chances if you have that ahead of you.

It looks like tip off is coming.  The next update probably won’t come until these 2 games done, so we may be at about halftime of the Houston game before I get something out.  It will come.  Trust me.