For the most part, Saturday’s eight Round of 32 NCAA Tournament tilts were competitive as all get out.
It’s just that, they all ended the way the seeds given to the 16 teams on March 11 suggested they should end.
Each of the higher seeds – No.’s 1Kentucky and Syracuse, 2 Ohio State, 3 Baylor and Marquette, and 4 Indiana, Louisville and Wisconsin – moved on to the Sweet 16 with victories on Saturday.
“Mid-majors” – or, as I prefer to refer to them, “non-BCS conference members” – VCU (Colonial), Gonzaga (WCC) and Murray State (Ohio Valley) fell to Indiana and Ohio State (Big Ten) and Marquette (Big East), respectively.
Another “no-BCS” member, New Mexico (Mountain West), lost to Louisville (Big East) in the final game of the day following “BCS vs. BCS” contests in which Kentucky (Southeastern) overpowered Iowa State (Big 12), Baylor (Big 12) pulled away from Colorado (Pac 12), Syracuse (Big East) knocked off Kansas State (Big 12) and Wisconsin (Big Ten) edged Vanderbilt (SEC).
Here are some thoughts on each of the games (listed in order of their completion):
*Syracuse 75, Kansas State 59: The Orange played a lot more fluidly and efficiently than did Coach Jim Boeheim’s team did during its opener with University of North Carolina-Asheville on Thursday.
Much has been made of the sudden departure of sophomore center Fab Melo but this is still the deepest team in the tournament – one fully capable of winning two more games and earning a trip to New Orleans.
Melo’s loss would be most fiercely felt in a possible national championship game with Kentucky and freshman sensation Anthony Davis.
But Boeheim would gladly be faced with that scenario come April 2.
*Ohio State 73, Gonzaga 66: The Bulldogs were the last of the “west coast” teams and they did their often beleaguered region justice before finally succumbing to one of the Big Ten’s tri-champions.
Those who hadn’t paid much attention during the season finally got to see why sophomore point guard Aaron Craft – as much as classmate center Jared Sullinger – is one of the two key elements to OSU’s success.
Craft had 17 points and 10 assists yet, just as importantly, his defense helped hold freshman point guard Kevin Pangos to three of 13 shooting from the field and twice as many turnovers (two) as assists.
The Buckeyes were able to hold a two-point lead at intermission despite being mostly outplayed by the Bulldogs while Sullinger missed about nine minutes after picking up his second foul.
Unless junior forward Elias Harris unwisely declares for the NBA Draft the Bulldogs should be capable of making a serious Final Four run a year from now.
Coach Mark Few will have a sensational sophomore backcourt in Pangos and Gary Bell (who had 18 points, four rebounds and five assists Saturday).
*Marquette 62, Murray State 53: This was the gritty slugfest than had been anticipated with the Golden Eagles having just a bit too much figurative grit and punching ability for the team that ended its season with just its second loss.
Big East Player of the Year Jae Crowder (17 points and 13 rebounds) continued to demonstrate why he was so honored after his regular-season performance.
Coach Buzz Williams’ team will be favored to advance to the West Regional final in Phoenix regardless of who it hooks up with (Florida or Norfolk State) next Thursday night.
*Wisconsin 60, Vanderbilt 57: The Badgers launched 33 shots from behind the arc and hit just enough of them – 10 – to be one of three teams from the Big Ten to win on Saturday.
Jordan Taylor didn’t have quite the “consensus first-team All-American”-season that most expected out of him going into the season.
But that 3-pointer he hit with 1:45 to go – which put the Badgers up to stay after Vanderbilt had edged ahead by a point – was quite the big-time, All-American-esque shot for sure.
Let’s see how well the Badgers attack the Syracuse zone Thursday night in Boston.
*Kentucky 87, Iowa State 71: The Cyclones – behind 6-8, 270-pound Royce White’s 23 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals – kept hanging around before Wildcats Marquis Teague (24 points and seven assists), Doron Lamb (five 3s) and Anthony Davis (15 points, 12 rebounds and five assists) dropped their respective hammers.
Once more, this team remains the heavy favorite to win it all until someone knocks it off.
*Indiana 63, VCU 61: The Hoosiers had some impressive victories in Bloomington (knocking off Kentucky, Ohio State and Michigan State) but this was as good as it’s been away from home for Coach Tom Crean’s club, which trailed most of the way before eking out the victory despite being cajoled into 22 turnovers.
I’m eagerly anticipated the hook up between freshman centers Cody Zeller (16 points and 13 rebounds) and the Wildcats’ Anthony Davis with the rematch of Kentucky and Indiana Friday night in Atlanta.
*Baylor 80, Colorado 63: Just a hunch but I’m off my rocker in thinking that Brady Heslip will be making jump shot instructional DVDs some day?
He certainly has the credibility well in hand after his nine 3-pointers helped the Bears finally pull away from the Buffaloes and then finally put away Tad Boyle’s team.
*Louisville 59, New Mexico 56: The Cardinals seemed on the verge of pulling away for a win by a double-figure margin before Drew Gordon kept the Lobos within arm’s reach of Rick Pitino’s team.
And so with the loss of the MWC’s tournament champion bid adieu the final “western” team from the bracket.
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