The Elite 8 is set - and I gush about Houston again....

 Well, things are certainly interesting now.  Just remember that someone is going to win this thing.  The thing I didn’t anticipate at the beginning of this tournament was just how many points it will take to do that.  If you got more than 4 points today, you are killing the field.  A lot of people got points for Kansas, but that’s just about it.  Nobody got points for St. Peter’s.  6 people got points for Miami.  11 got points for North Carolina.  That’s not many points.

Fun facts: The percent chances of winning the pool didn’t change based on the results of the Miami / Iowa State game.  It had literally no effect on anyone still alive at that point (at least for 1^st). 

There are 74 people that can get no more points.  Amazingly, Taima B. #1 can still get 3^rd or 4^th despite not being able to get another point.  That’s how hard points are to come by.  This is because she is currently sitting in 2^nd in points right now.  If it’s something like a Miami / St. Peter’s final with Arkansas in the Final 4, that might be enough to sneak her into 3^rd.  Crazy.

We are down to 35 people that can still win something.  The person ran ked lowest in points that can still something is Stefon K.  He can still get 3^rd place.  Just one spot above him in the points standings (in 115^th) is John M. #2 who can still win with a Duke over Kansas championship game.

On the flip side is Hutch H. #1, whi is in 4^th in points right now, but can’t win anything.

There were 32 points available in this round (as there in every round).  That means every game was worth 4 points.  The best anyone did was 16 points.  It was done by 5 people, including Taima B. #2, who was eliminated from all places and JoJo D. who can’t get 1^st or 2^nd.  The other three people (Kristina H., Mike W. and Dan Du. #2) are all alive for all places.

There are 13 people that can still win despite not having their champion alive, including 5 people that can still win.  The best chances of those are Amanda R. entirely because she has Arkansas in the Championship game.  She probably needs them to play someone like Miami to win, but given what we’ve seen so far, it’s a possibility.

On the flip side, there are 18 people who still have a living, breathing champion and can’t win anything.  In all of those instances, the winner is either Kansas, Duke or Villanova and all people don’t have the other semi-finalist alive.

No one has all 4 Final 4 teams alive.  The best is missing one, done by 7 people.  Amazingly, of those 7, 4 of them are missing Baylor as their lone Final 4 team missing.  Not sure what that means, but it’s interesting.

There are only 12 people that can get both of their Finalists.  All are alive for something, although Stefon K. and Matt H. can’t win.

So, here is the matrix:

Name	1st Place	2nd Place	3rd Place	4th Place
Kristina H. - Duke	22.2656%	11.7188%	8.2031%	3.9063%
Mike W. - Kansas	10.5469%	11.5885%	5.9896%	7.2917%
Brent E. #2 - Houston	16.4063%	6.2500%	4.6875%	0.7813%
Matt H. - Duke	Arizona	10.1563%	9.3750%	3.9063%
Amber W. - Villanova	5.4688%	7.4219%	3.5156%	3.7760%
Becky H. - Villanova	5.4688%	7.4219%	3.5156%	3.7760%
Michelle L. #3 - Baylor	3.9063%	3.2552%	8.4635%	2.9948%
John M. #3 - North Carolina	14.8438%	0.7813%	0.7813%	1.5625%
Craig G. - Kansas	2.7344%	7.2917%	2.8646%	3.7760%
Steve Dz. #1 - Houston	Initial	12.5000%	UCLA	2.3438%
Dan Du. #2 - Duke	2.7344%	3.1250%	3.5156%	3.9063%
Kristin G. - Gonzaga	0.7813%	5.4688%	2.3438%	3.9063%
Ryan W. - Kansas	1.5625%	2.3438%	3.1250%	4.6875%
Bret K. #1 - Gonzaga	Tx. Tech	0.9115%	4.4271%	6.1198%
Daisy N. #1 - Gonzaga	1.9531%	2.6042%	3.2552%	3.1250%
Amanda R. - Ohio State	6.2500%	0.5208%	1.6927%	2.3438%
April K. - Villanova	Initial	Gonzaga	4.6875%	5.4688%
Lindsay R. - Villanova	Initial	Gonzaga	4.6875%	5.4688%
Dustin B. - Kansas	1.5625%	2.3438%	1.8229%	3.3854%
John M. #2 - Duke	3.1250%	UCLA	3.1250%	1.5625%
Daisy N. #2 - Gonzaga	Arizona	2.3438%	1.5625%	3.1250%
Brett G. #3 - Duke	Arizona	UCLA	3.1250%	3.1250%
Irene H. #5 - Auburn	Arizona	UCLA	3.1250%	3.1250%
Brent S. #1 - Duke	Arizona	Arizona	Purdue	4.6875%
Tomas L. - Baylor	Initial	1.5625%	1.5625%	1.5625%
JoJo D. - Kansas	UCLA	UCLA	2.3438%	1.5625%
Dustin D. #2 - Kansas	Gonzaga	Tx. Tech	1.5625%	1.5625%
Stefon K. - Kansas	Initial	Gonzaga	3.1250%	Purdue
Andrew D. #2 - Gonzaga	0.3906%	0.3906%	0.6510%	0.9115%
Jay H. #1 - Kansas	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	1.0417%	1.0417%
Michelle L. #4 - Kansas	UCLA	UCLA	1.0417%	1.0417%
Hutch H. #3 - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	UCLA	UCLA	1.5625%
Chrissy S - USC	Initial	Michigan	0.3906%	0.7813%
Taima B. #1 - Arizona	Arizona	UCLA	0.3906%	0.7813%
Shawn M. - Baylor	Gonzaga	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	1.0417%
Adalyn H. - Auburn	Tx. Tech	Providence	Tx. Tech	Providence
Adam E. - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Providence	UCLA
Adam O. #1 (CAAT I) - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Michigan
Adam O. #2 (CAAT II) - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Adam O. #3 (CAAT III) - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Adam O. #4 (CAAT IV) - Kansas	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Alex I - Arizona	Initial	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech
Ally H. - Arizona	Tx. Tech	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona
Alyssa B. - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Andrew D. #1 - Gonzaga	Michigan	Michigan	Michigan	Michigan
Avery S. - Kansas	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Baily T. - Gonzaga	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech
Ben S. - Arizona	Tx. Tech	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona
Brad R. - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Brandon H. - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Michigan	Initial
Brent E. #1 - Michigan State	Michigan	Michigan	Michigan	Michigan
Brent E. #3 - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Michigan
Brent E. #4 - Kentucky	Michigan	Michigan	Michigan	Arizona
Brent E. #5 - Kansas	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Arizona
Brent E. #6 - Arizona	Arizona	Arizona	UCLA	UCLA
Brent S. #2 - Arizona	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona
Bret K. #2 - Gonzaga	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	UCLA
Bret K. #3 - Arizona	Arizona	Providence	Providence	Providence
Brett G. #1 - Tennessee	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Michigan
Brett G. #2 - Arizona	Gonzaga	Arizona	Tx. Tech	Arizona
Brett G. #4 - Kentucky	Michigan	Michigan	Arizona	Arizona
Brett W. - UCLA	Michigan	Arizona	Purdue	Purdue
Brian K. - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Michigan	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech
Chalk for Charity - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Arizona	Arizona
Charlotte N. - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Chris E. - Arizona	Initial	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona
Chris L. #1 - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Michigan	Arizona	Arizona
Chris L. #2 - Arizona	Michigan	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona
Chris L. #3 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Chris L. #4 - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Michigan	Michigan
Chris L. #5 - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Chris T. - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Christian C. - Gonzaga	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Arizona
Cicely K. - Auburn	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Colonel S. - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Colston W. - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Connor W. - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Arizona
Creighton H. - Arizona	Purdue	Purdue	Purdue	Purdue
Daisy N. #10 - Tennessee	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Daisy N. #3 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Daisy N. #4 - Kansas	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Daisy N. #5 - Duke	Arizona	UCLA	UCLA	UCLA
Daisy N. #6 - Arizona	Initial	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona
Daisy N. #7 - UCLA	UCLA	UCLA	UCLA	UCLA
Daisy N. #8 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Daisy N. #9 - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Damien R #1 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Damien R #2 - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Michigan	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech
Dan Du. #1 - Duke	Purdue	Purdue	Providence	Purdue
Dan Du. #3 - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Dan McK. #1 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Dan McK. #2 - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga
Dan P. - Baylor	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Arizona
Daniel E. #1 - Purdue	Purdue	Purdue	Purdue	Purdue
Daniel E. #2 - UCLA	Providence	Providence	UCLA	UCLA
Daryl J. - Arizona	Tx. Tech	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona
Derek H. - Tennessee	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Michigan
Diana A. - Auburn	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Dustin D. #1 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga
Dustin D. #3 - Auburn	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech
Dustin D. #4 - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Dylan B. #1 - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Michigan
Dylan B. #2 - Tennessee	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Elizabeth N. #1 - Kentucky	Michigan	Michigan	Michigan	Arizona
Elizabeth N. #2 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Elliot N. - Arizona	Initial	Tx. Tech	Arizona	Arizona
Eric G. #1 - Arizona	Michigan	Arizona	Arizona	Purdue
Eric G. #2 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga
Eric S. - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Eric V. - Arizona	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Tx. Tech	Arizona
Gary W. - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Gigi I - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Arizona
Harrell R. # 1 - Virginia Tech	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Harrell R. # 2 - Tennessee	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Harrell R. # 3 - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Hero R. - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Purdue	Providence
Howard S. #1 - Auburn	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Howard S. #2 - UCLA	UCLA	UCLA	UCLA	UCLA
Howie G. #1 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Arizona	Arizona
Hutch H. #1 - Arizona	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona
Hutch H. #2 - Kansas	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech
Irene H. #1 - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Michigan
Irene H. #3 - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Irene H. #4 - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Irene H. #6 - Kentucky	Tx. Tech	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona
Itene H. #2 - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Michigan
Jace D. - Ohio State	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Jackson I - UCLA	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Purdue	Purdue
Jared B. - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Michigan	Michigan
Jason S. - Duke	Purdue	Purdue	Providence	UCLA
Jaxon S. - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Jay H. #2 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Jeremy W. (SI) - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Jim D. #1 - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Michigan
Jim D. #2 - Arizona	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona
Jim D. #3 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Jim W. - Arizona	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona
John M. #1 - Connecticut	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Josh Ch. - UCLA	Initial	Arizona	Purdue	Providence
Josiah T. #1 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Josiah T. #2 - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Josiah T. #3 - Arizona	Gonzaga	Michigan	Michigan	Michigan
Kansas C. - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Karen Ch. - Kansas	Gonzaga	Purdue	UCLA	UCLA
Kealoah G. - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech
Ken Pom - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Michigan	Michigan
Kiah H. #1 - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Kiah H. #2 - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga
Kirt R. #1 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Kirt R. #2 - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Klei R. - Arizona	Initial	Michigan	Michigan	Arizona
Kyle V. - UCLA	Tx. Tech	UCLA	UCLA	UCLA
Kylee T. - Villanova	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Arizona
Luis B. #1 - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Michigan	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech
Luis B. #2 - Arizona	Gonzaga	Michigan	Michigan	Michigan
Luis B. #3 - Arizona	Arizona	Purdue	Purdue	Purdue
Mary Lou H. - Arizona	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona
Mason A. - Arizona	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech
Matt M. - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Matt N. - Gonzaga	Arizona	Arizona	Purdue	Purdue
Max A. #1 - Gonzaga	Initial	Tx. Tech	Michigan	Tx. Tech
Max A. #2 - Kansas	Tx. Tech	Arizona	Arizona	Purdue
Michael S. #1 (Cluck Norris) - Gonzaga	Michigan	Michigan	Michigan	Michigan
Michael S. #2 (Hank the Tank) - Arizona	Gonzaga	Tx. Tech	Arizona	Arizona
Michelle L. #1 - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga
Michelle L. #2 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Michelle L. #5 - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Mike N  - Kansas	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech
Mindi W. - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Missy W. - Tennessee	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Nathan R. - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga
Nick I - USC	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Nick V. - Kentucky	Initial	Michigan	Michigan	Michigan
Niren D. - Gonzaga	Tx. Tech	Arizona	Arizona	Tx. Tech
Noah N. - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Michigan	Michigan
Otis L. - Arizona	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Arizona
Owen R. - Jacksonville State	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Paul K. - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Arizona	Arizona
Paul W. - Villanova	Arizona	Arizona	UCLA	UCLA
Pete J. #1 - Tennessee	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Pete J. #2 - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga
Pete J. #3 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Pete J. #4 - Arizona	Michigan	Tx. Tech	Arizona	Arizona
Pete J. #5 - Kansas	Gonzaga	Michigan	UCLA	UCLA
Pete J. #6 - Wisconsin	Gonzaga	Michigan	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech
Ray Min. #1 - Baylor	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Ray Min. #2 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Reid D. - Duke	Initial	Michigan	Iowa State	Iowa State
Rex C. - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Rich F. - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Rob I #1 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Rob I #2 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Roth W. - Arizona	Arizona	Tx. Tech	Arizona	Arizona
Scarlett H. - Wisconsin	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Scott He. #1 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga
Scott He. #2 - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Michigan
Scott K. #1 - Kansas	Arizona	Purdue	Purdue	Purdue
Scott K. #2 - Kentucky	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Michigan
Stephen C. - Auburn	Initial	Purdue	Purdue	Purdue
Steve Dz. #2 - Purdue	Purdue	Purdue	Arizona	Purdue
Taima B. #2 - Gonzaga	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona
Tim K. - Tennessee	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Tisa S. - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona
TommyJoe V. #1 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
TommyJoe V. #2 - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
TommyJoe V. #3 - Kansas	Initial	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
TommyJoe V. #4 - Arizona	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Tucker D. - Alabama	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial
Valerie D. - Gonzaga	Arizona	Iowa State	Iowa State	Iowa State
William G. #1 - Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Purdue
William G. #2 - Villanova	Initial	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech	Tx. Tech
Zach V. - Gonzaga	Initial	Gonzaga	Initial	Initial

If you are one of the lucky pickers that are still alive, congratulations!  This year has been really tough to pick, so it’s a pretty good accomplishment to make it this far.  I kind of think these last two days are the hardest to survive of the tournament.  The first 2 rounds are kind of jockeying for space, but unless something drastic happens, you aren’t typically going to get knocked out.  That’s why something like 160+ people were alive at the start of the games on Thursday.  Today, we are down to 35 over the course of 8 games.  That’s a purge-like bloodbath.  From here on out, games come one at a time, so it’s a little easier to track.

There are two games tomorrow.  There is enough time between games to calculate odds after the results of the first, so I’ll hold off on eliminations for Game 2.

Game 1 – Hey, have I mentioned yet that I am on the Houston bandwagon?  I feel like I need to mention it in every post, so this is the obligatory mention.  Here’s the kicker – I love Houston, but I didn’t have the foresight to enter a bracket in which they win the tournament, which looks like a pretty big mistake in retrospect.  Next year, I’m going to enter more and cover my bases.  I looked up the odds to win the tournament prior to tonight’s games, and Houston was the betting favorite.  That was largely because Kansas still had to win 4 games to Houston’s 3, so I assume those odds have changed now, but still…  they were a 5 seed?!?!?  The reason for this is a classic battle between the metrics people (of which I am one), who really loved them, and the people that think the only important measure is Tier I victories (of which, I think, they only had 2, maybe 3).  I would argue that even using the “eye” test (which is essentially “watching games”) would tell you how good this team was.  Maybe if they ever invite me to be on the committee, I can advocate for the Houston’s of the world.  Until then, I can just subject people that read my blog to these diatribes.  Anyway, they are 2.5 point favorites over Villanova, who I am totally shortchanging in this blog.

Villanova is good and can totally win this game in a 1-game scenario.  There.  Base covered.

Here are the eliminations for this game:

If Houston Wins:

Result	Pick
Amber W. is eliminated from 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th place contention.	Villanova
April K. is eliminated from 3rd & 4th place contention.	Villanova
Becky H. is eliminated from 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th place contention.	Villanova
Daisy N. #2 is eliminated from 2nd, 3rd & 4th place contention.	Villanova
Dustin B. is eliminated from 1st & 2nd place contention.	Villanova
Dustin D. #2 is eliminated from 3rd & 4th place contention.	Villanova
Hutch H. #3 is eliminated from 4th place contention.	Villanova
John M. #2 is eliminated from 3rd & 4th place contention.	Villanova
John M. #3 is eliminated from 2nd place contention.	Tennessee
Kristin G. is eliminated from 1st place contention.	Villanova
Lindsay R. is eliminated from 3rd & 4th place contention.	Villanova
Ryan W. is eliminated from 1st, 2nd & 3rd place contention.	Villanova
Shawn M. is eliminated from 4th place contention.	Villanova

If Villanova Wins:

Result	Pick
Amanda R. is eliminated from 2nd, 3rd & 4th place contention.	Ohio State
Andrew D. #2 is eliminated from 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th place contention.	Arizona
Brent E. #2 is eliminated from 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th place contention.	Houston
Bret K. #1 is eliminated from 2nd, 3rd & 4th place contention.	Houston
Chrissy S is eliminated from 3rd & 4th place contention.	Houston
Dan Du. #2 is eliminated from 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th place contention.	Houston
Jay H. #1 is eliminated from 3rd & 4th place contention.	TCU
John M. #3 is eliminated from 3rd & 4th place contention.	Tennessee
JoJo D. is eliminated from 3rd & 4th place contention.	Tennessee
Kristina H. is eliminated from 4th place contention.	Villanova
Michelle L. #3 is eliminated from 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th place contention.	Houston
Michelle L. #4 is eliminated from 3rd & 4th place contention.	Houston
Steve Dz. #1 is eliminated from 2nd & 4th place contention.	Houston
Taima B. #1 is eliminated from 3rd & 4th place contention.	Arizona
Tomas L. is eliminated from 2nd, 3rd & 4th place contention.	Houston

A few notes:

I love that Andrew D. #2 will be eliminated from all payouts if Villanova wins.  Not that I have anything against Andrew D. – I just like the idea that he now needs a result that is not what he picked at the start of the tournament to determine whether he lives or dies.  Also, notice that if Villanova wins, Kristina H. will be eliminated from 4^th place even though she picked Villanova.  That’s probably because she has Villanova losing in the Championship game, so her odds for 1^st , 2^nd & 3^rd will skyrocket if she wins this game, so 4^th place is less of a possibility.

One last note: Because there are so few points being won by people, several of the places could very easily end in ties.  For instance, there’s a way this could end in a 4-way tie still.  I hope there are no ties, but I don’t exactly control this, so I need to make contingencies.  I used to ask for tie-breakers when I asked for brackets, but I really don’t do that much anymore.  Once we are down to 4, I’ll be able to tell with more clarity if we have a chance at a tiebreaker needed and who would be involved.  I’ll reach out to the people necessary before the Final 4 if it looks like we’ll need that.  As a reminder, the tiebreaker is the total points in the final game, closest to the total wins.  If it’s still tied after that, I’ll pool the money for whatever places were tied and split it evenly.  Yuck.  I really hope I don’t have to do that.  Losing this on a tiebreaker would suck.

We are getting down to the felt in this giant ring game of the NCAA tournament.  Enjoy the gmes tomorrow.  Good luck!!!!!