March Madness can be the best of times and it can be the worst of times.
For this “expert,” it was definitely the latter – at least for this year. I entered my bracket on ESPN.com Tournament Challenge like I do every year and 51.6 percent of more than five million entries did better than me. Last year, I did better than 90 percent of all participants. Heck, President Barack Obama did better than me! And that’s an understatement because he picked North Carolina to win it all.
I don’t remember a year where I did this bad. It was so horrible that I’m going through the five-step grieving process.
Step one – denial: After the first round of games, I went a miserable 21-11. In case anyone think 21-11 is acceptable, it isn’t. The standard should be 24-8. Think about it, there are already eight freebies with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds playing. At one point, I got so desperate that by Friday night’s Wisconsin vs. Florida State game, I dropped to my knees when Wisconsin’s Jordan Taylor missed the game-winning three-pointer in regulation. If you don’t believe me, there were two witnesses. Luckily, the Badgers won in overtime. After that, I convinced myself that everything was still fine.
Step two – anger: I have a side bet with my former sports editor in Miami. The loser has to buy the winner a jersey of his choice. After being tied after one round, the guy hits on 15 of his 16 picks – four more than me. Now, I’m not just angry at him because outside of the South Carolina Gamecocks, he doesn’t follow college basketball much. I’m also angry at myself for stinking so much.
Step three – bargaining: After the first weekend, I’m horrible thanks to my former editor. So, in the days leading up to the Sweet 16, I just kept saying to myself that as long as UConn wins it all, I don’t care if I lose the rest of my games. Picking out the champion is the most important thing when doing brackets.
Step four – depression: Surprisingly, bargaining worked. UConn made it to the Final Four and I took the lead over my former editor. All I needed was either a UConn win or a North Carolina loss to Villanova and I get my jersey. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.
Trailing by as much as 11 with 1:54 left, UConn miraculously pulled within three in just 46 seconds after a Stanley Robinson dunk. Right then and there, I was screaming at the TV telling the Huskies to stop playing a full-court press because they didn’t need to use it any more. Lo and behold, Michigan State finally breaks the press successfully, get a three-point play and basically clinch the game. Even though North Carolina hadn’t played yet, I knew they were going to win.
This is when I fell into a depression.
Step five – acceptance: Just stick a “Under Construction” sign here because I’ll be working on it till next March.
On we go to the good, bad and disturbingly ugly based on the original picks. To check them out, click here.
First round ousters picks
57-64. Morehead State, Radford, Chattanooga, East Tennessee State, Robert Morris, Binghamton, Cal State Northridge and Morgan State.
What happened: These eight teams were No. 15 and 16 seeds. In the history of the NCAA Tournament, No. 16 seeds were 0-96 against No. 1 seeds and No. 15 seeds weren’t much better as they were 4-92 against No. 2 seeds. Now, No. 15 seeds are 4-96 and although East Tennessee State gave No. 1 seed Pittsburgh a scare, 16-seeders are a perfect 0-100.
Prediction outcome: Correct. Do I get one right prediction or eight? Then again, a five year-old would’ve gotten these right as well.
56. Cornell
What happened: As expected, Cornell wilted to Missouri’s “40 minutes of Hell” brand of basketball. Nothing against higher education, but when you go 13 days in between games like Cornell did, sharpness and conditioning will be a factor.
Prediction outcome: Correct.
55. Stephen F. Austin
What happened: The Lumberjacks missed 12 of its first 13 shots, shot 2-of-21 on three-pointers and trailed by 26 at one point. Don’t let the door hit you on your way out in your first appearance in the big dance.
Prediction outcome: Correct.
54. American
What happened: The Eagles led Villanova by eight with less than 12 minutes left in the game. Then, Villanova turned on its jets and outscored American 33-12 to end the game.
Prediction outcome: Correct, but a lot of people – including myself – were scared.
53. Akron
What happened: They pulled an American. They were up by six with 15 minutes left. But that’s the thing about heavy favorites, they are always one big spurt away from killing the underdogs. The Zips zipped straight out of the tourney when Gonzaga went on an eye-popping 31-6 run to pull away.
Prediction outcome: Correct and not as shocked as American.
52. Portland State
What happened: You can’t win if you never led.
Prediction outcome: Correct.
51. Mississippi State
What happened: Jarvis Varnado blocked four shots. Four little runts played alongside him, but they couldn’t function once Varnado got into early foul trouble. As a result, country-strong Jon Brockman grabbed 15 rebounds and forward Quincy Pondexter scored 23 points.
Prediction outcome: Correct.
50. Northern Iowa
What happened: Got to give the Panthers credit, at least they competed. They trailed by 13 early in the second half, but they fought back and made it a two-point game with 19 seconds left. Then, Purdue made their free throws.
Prediction outcome: Correct, but not by much.
49. Original pick: Arizona. Replaced by: Utah.
What happened: Who needs depth when Nic Wise, Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill can carry you to the Sweet 16? What Arizona needs is more talent because they got destroyed by Louisville in the Sweet 16.
Prediction outcome: Wrong. Big time.
48. Temple
What happened: Dionte Christmas tried to give the Owls an early Christmas with 29 points. However, his teammates didn’t get the memo as they scored 28 points combined.
Prediction outcome: Correct.
47. Utah State
What happened: It wasn’t like the Aggies got eliminated because they didn’t try. Heck, if I got three players older than 23, I wouldn’t want the season and their collegiate careers to end either. Unfortunately, some clutch shooting at the foul line by Marquette – 11-of-14 in the last four minutes – and Lazar Hayward’s heroic performance – 26 points – upended the Aggies.
Prediction outcome: Correct, by a point.
46. Original pick: Dayton. Replaced by: West Virginia.
What happened: The price was Wright. Dayton’s Chris Wright scored 27 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked two shots in a game where they only trailed once – at 3-2 – even though the game was tight throughout. It’s like West Virginia couldn’t scale a mountain.
Prediction outcome: Wrong. There goes my second Sweet 16 pick.
45. Original pick: Michigan. Replaced by: Clemson.
What happened: With the exception of Trevor Booker, Clemson couldn’t make a shot if the basket was the size of the Earth. The Tigers shot 32.3 percent from the field and if you take out Booker’s 7-of-10 shooting, it would be 25.5 percent.
Prediction outcome: And my third Sweet 16 pick goes into orbit.
44. Original pick: USC. Replaced by: Boston College.
What happened: USC Taj Gibson was a perfect 10-of-10 and Boston College was the complete opposite. The Eagles shot 32.7 percent. Another case of a team having brick-itis.
Prediction outcome: Wrong, but at least it’s not a Sweet 16 pick this time.
43. Original pick: Siena. Replaced by: Ohio State.
What happened: One Ronald Moore played hero – twice. His first three-pointer tied the game at 65 at the end of the first overtime. Moore’s second trifecta won it for Siena in double overtime.
Prediction outcome: Wrong. Again.
42. Original pick: Texas A&M. Replaced by: BYU.
What happened: Déjà vu. The Aggies beat BYU in the first round for the second straight year.
Prediction outcome: That’s five consecutive wrong picks.
41. Original pick: LSU. Replaced by: Butler.
What happened: When someone scores 30 points (Marcus Thronton) and gets help, unlike Temple’s Christmas, then there’s nothing Butler can do. Tasmin Mitchell added 14 and Chris Johnson had 12.
Prediction outcome: Make it six in a row. I’m halfway to a dozen.
40. Original pick: Oklahoma State. Replaced by: Tennessee.
What happened: It was an up-and-down game as promised. Both teams played their crazy ways – Oklahoma State with four guards and Tennessee with its “controlled chaos”. The game went down to the wire and Byron Eaton – he of the team-high 20 points – parted the Vols’ defense like the Red Sea and got the winning points on a lay-up. There’s no shame losing a fun and close game like that except…
Prediction outcome: That’s seven wrong predictions in a row. I should change my profession and make a living out of picking the wrong games.
39. Original pick: Texas. Replaced by: Minnesota.
What happened: Uh, just a dumb, dumb pick. Never pick against the team with the two best players in A.J. Abrams and Damion James.
Prediction outcome: Eight bad picks in a row. Vegas would love me right about now.
38. California
What happened: I did say Greivis Vasquez was the best player Cal would see all year. Vasquez made a prophet out of me with 27 points including 10 in the final eight minutes to close the game out. It also helps to hold the Golden Bears to 7-of-24 shooting from behind the arc.
Prediction outcome: Hallelujah! I got one right.
37. Original pick: UCLA. Replaced by: VCU.
What happened: Two years ago, Eric Maynor made the game-winning shot to beat Duke in the first round. He had the same opportunity to this time to slay UCLA. His 17-footer at the buzzer was short. It was as simple as that.
Prediction outcome: Wrong. Back to the loss column I go.
36. Illinois
What happened: When Illinois fans talk about this season, they will talk about how Illinois can’t score even if their opponents were playing with one hand tied behind their backs. They scored 51 points in the first 34 minutes and trailed by 17. They should be thankful Western Kentucky decided to go to sleep the final six minutes held on for a 76-72 win.
Prediction outcome: Oh, so correct.
35. Florida State
What happened: Ok, so Wisconsin didn’t cut off Florida State’s head like I said they would. Toney Douglas got his 26 points but the Badgers did cut off the body from the head as they held the rest of the team down long enough to win in overtime.
Prediction outcome: Remember, I dropped to my knees during this game. I had better be right.
34. Wake Forest
What happened: Cleveland State showed Wake Forest what it’s like to play tough basketball from start to finish. Demon Deacons point guard Jeff Teague committed seven turnovers and Wake Forest had 18 as a team. OUCH!
Prediction outcome: Correct. Like I said, the pups from Wake can’t handle the tenacity from Cleveland State, wherever Cleveland State is.
33. Original pick: Kansas. Replaced by: North Dakota State.
What happened: Although the Bisons stayed with the defending champs for 40 minutes, I should know that the combo of Sherron Collions and Cole Aldrich is too much for an inferior team. Just a bad pick. Period. It was so bad that Kansas got to the Sweet 16. Imagine the benefits I could’ve reaped if I didn’t gamble so much with this pick. On the bright side, Ben Woodside lit up the Jayhawks for 37 points.
Prediction outcome: Last wrong pick to end a miserable round.
Second round exit picks
32. Original pick: North Dakota State. Replaced by: Dayton.
What happened: Kansas outmuscled Dayton in the second round meeting 60-43 to advance to the Sweet 16. Aldrich had a triple-double with 13 points, 20 rebounds and 10 blocks. Do not go see an optometrist. Aldrich’s numbers are correct.
Prediction outcome: Wrong.
31. Cleveland State
What happened: In another second round match up I had no chance of winning because I had picked Utah to make the Sweet 16, Arizona’s big three were just too much for Cleveland State.
Prediction outcome: Wrong because Arizona and not Utah are going to the Sweet 16.
30. Western Kentucky
What happened: Can you say the game of the round? Western Kentucky ties the game with seven seconds left off a tip-in by Steffphon Pettigrew. Gonzaga, deciding not to call a timeout, races downcourt and backup point guard Demetri Goodson banks in a runner with 0.9 seconds left to send the Bulldogs back to the Sweet 16. Games like this are what make March Madness so freaking crazy.
Prediction outcome: Correct.
29. Original pick: VCU. Replaced by: UCLA.
What happened: Remember when Villanova was trailing American by eight midway through the second half? Apparently, that was Villanova’s wake-up call as they demolished the Bruins by 20.
Prediction outcome: Correct because I had Villanova advancing even though I picked the wrong victim.
28. Maryland
What happened: Let’s just say this one was ugly from the beginning. By halftime, Memphis built a 20-point cushion. The better team won.
Prediction outcome: Correct.
27. Original pick: Minnesota. Replaced by: Texas.
What happened: Texas brought the fight to Duke. They were more physical and they didn’t back down to the talented Blue Devils. Heck, it was tied at 69 with 1:07 left before Duke scored the game’s final five points. What killed Texas was Duke shooting 7-of-14 shots from downtown. It also helped to be playing just miles away from campus.
Prediction outcome: Correct because I had Duke advancing even though I picked the wrong victim.
26. Original pick: Tennessee. Replaced by: Oklahoma State.
What happened: Levance Fields came to Pitt’s rescue – again. Tied at 74, Fields made a lay-up and then drilled a bomb to give Pitt a five-point lead. Sam Young also exploded for 32 points.
Prediction outcome: Correct because I had Pitt advancing even though I picked the wrong victim.
25. Original pick: Butler. Replaced by: LSU.
What happened: Ty Lawson, Ty Lawson, Ty Lawson. In the first half of his first game back from a toe injury, Lawson scored a measly two points. After LSU tied the game at 63, Lawson scored 11 of his 21 second-half points to pull UNC away from LSU 84-70. What did Lawson do to his big toe during halftime. I must have the potion!
Prediction outcome: Correct because I had North Carolina advancing even though I picked the wrong victim. This should show you how bad my first round was.
24. Original pick: Ohio State. Replaced by Siena.
What happened: In a game where Siena rallied back from a double-digit deficit to take the lead, the difference was that Louisville’s best player came to play and Siena’s didn’t. Terrence Williams poured in 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Cardinals while Siena’s Kenny Hasbrouck ended his career shooting blanks – 4-of-17 overall. If Hasbrouck knocked down a few shots, maybe they would’ve upset Louisville.
Prediction outcome: Correct because I had Louisville advancing even though I picked the wrong victim.
23. Original pick: BYU. Replaced by: Texas A&M.
What happened: UConn simply dominated. After winning its first round game by a mere 56 points, they thrashed the Aggies by 26.
Prediction outcome: Correct because I had UConn advancing even though I picked the wrong victim.
22. Original pick: Boston College. Replaced by: USC.
What happened: Remember Mr. Gibson’s perfect 10-for-10 game against Boston College in the last round? Well, he followed that performance by going 0-of-2 for three points before fouling out in 23 minutes of play. On the other end of the spectrum, Travis Walton – the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year – scored 18 nobody saw it coming points. Heck, Walton even scored the go-ahead basket with 3:40 left as the Spartans held the Trojans scoreless in the final four minutes to advance.
Prediction outcome: Correct because I had Michigan State advancing even though I picked the wrong victim. I’m getting bored saying this seven consecutive times.
21. Marquette
What happened: Marquette must have some kind of second round hex they can’t get rid of. Last year, they couldn’t stop Stanford’s Brook Lopez and nailed the game-winner against them. This year, tied at 79, they fouled Missouri’s Kim English with five seconds left and he made both foul shots. But the game wasn’t over. On the inbounds play, Hayward made the inexplicable mistake to move forward and step on the baseline which was a big no-no. Ball went to Mizzou. The Tigers converted two more free throws. Game over.
Prediction outcome: Correct without a blemish.
20. Arizona State
What happened: James Harden must be on the side of a milk carton after pulling a Harry Houdini disappearing act during the tourney. The Pac-10 Player of the Year shot 2-of-10 against Syracuse after shooting 1-of-8 versus Temple. You can get away with the shoddy performance against an OK Temple team, but not against the stalwart like Syracuse. It was a long ride home back to Tempe for Mr. Harden.
Prediction outcome: Correct again.
19. Original pick: Purdue. Replaced by: Washington.
What happened: Quincy Pondexter lost his mind in the final minute of the game. Trailing by two with a minute left, Washington’s Isaiah Thomas drove across the lane and tried a running hook shot that Purdue’s JaJuan Johnson swatted away with authority right to Pondexter. Pondexter then drove right at Johnson, picked up his dribble and decided to shoot a fade-away. Johnson blocked that shot too and the game was never the same. What was upsetting wasn’t that Pondexter took the shot, but that he did it out of greed (i.e. trying to play hero) when there was still 12 FREAKING seconds on the shot clock. TWELVE FREAKING SECONDS. Ay caramba.
Prediction outcome: Wrong.
18. Original pick: Xavier. Replaced by: Wisconsin.
What happened: Wisconsin had the game how they wanted which was downright ugly. The difference was that Xavier was just more talented. Speaking of the ugly and the talentless, Wisconsin’s Marcus Landry shot 8-of-14 from the field. The rest of the team shot 8-of-42. Maybe this is a stretch, but Landry and four of me’s could’ve shot better than 8-of-42. Heck, we could’ve even won.
Prediction outcome: Wrong.
17. Original pick: Oklahoma. Replaced by: Michigan.
What happened: Blake Griffin. Who else? The Player of the Year dominated with 33 points and 17 rebounds. Griffin is a man among boys. He literally carried them to the Elite Eight.
Prediction outcome: Wrong, and not even close.
Sweet 16 is not so sweet picks
16. Original pick: Wisconsin. Replaced by Xavier.
What happened: Déjà vu, the remix. Trailing by two, Fields drills three-pointer with 56 seconds left. Then Fields stole a cross-court pass and finished it off with an easy lay-up. Pittsburgh win because Fields heroics – again. Hollywood can’t script this guy any better.
Prediction outcome: Correct because I had Pitt advancing even though I picked the wrong victim.
15. Original pick: Clemson. Replaced by: Syracuse.
What happened: How does a guy who shares the same last name as Betty Crocker score 28 points and knock down six trifectas? That’s not suppose to happen!!! In the other three tournament games, Oklahoma’s Tony Crocker score a grand total of 12 points 4-of-18 shooting.
Prediction outcome: My first Final Four team eliminated. Thanks for ruining my bracket Betty…er…Tony Crocker.
14. Original pick: West Virginia. Replaced by: Kansas.
What happened: Kalin Lucas. On the Big Ten Player of the Year’s game-winner, he crossed Sherron Collins over, spun on him, then stopped and pumped-fake to get Collins in the air, leaned in, got the foul and drill the jumper to give Michigan State a 62-60 lead with 48 seconds left. Lucas scored his team’s last seven points to beat Kansas.
Prediction outcome: Correct.
13. Original pick: Utah. Replaced by Arizona.
What happened: 103-64, Louisville OVER Arizona. Do you need an explanation?
Prediction outcome: Correct because I had Louisville advancing even though I picked the wrong victim.
12. Gonzaga
What happened: Part of toughness is being able to stand toe-to-toe with Goliath. Um, North Carolina shot 52.9 percent, connected on 11 three-pointers and outrebounded Gonzga by 12 to win by 21. Like I said, Gonzaga is Charmin soft.
Prediction outcome: Unequivocally correct.
11. Original pick: Washington. Replaced by: Purdue.
What happened: Hasheem Thabeet controlled the paint. His presence forced Purdue to shoot jumper and contested jumper to the tune 36.4 percent shooting. Then again, many teams weren’t able to score on UConn, By the way, Thabeet had 15 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks. Just thought you should know.
Prediction outcome: Correct because I had UConn advancing even though I picked the wrong victim.
10. Original pick: Missouri. Replaced by: Memphis.
What happened: Wasn’t it fun watching both teams run up and down the court like it was a track meet and not a basketball game. I just happened to pick the wrong team. Ooops.
Prediction outcome: Wrong.
9. Duke
What happened: Gerald Henderson, Duke’s best player, shot 1-of-14. Jon Scheyer, Duke’s third best player, shot 3-of-18. Kyle Singler, Duke’s second best player, wasn’t much better at 5-of-13. Duke gets routed by 23. People, chant with me: DUKE IS A FRAUD! DUKE IS A FRAUD!
Prediction outcome: OH SO CORRECT!
Elite Eight picks
8. Original pick: Villanova. Replaced by: Pittsburgh.
What happened: The script got flipped on Fields. Sure, he made two free throws to tie the game at 76. But all people need to know is the name Scotty Reynolds and 0.5. If anyone saw or heard what happened, you know what I’m talking about.
Prediction outcome: There goes my second Final Four team out the window. Thank you Panthers head coach Jamie Dixon for having a brain-freeze and deciding to play a full-court press defense in a tie game. Don’t get me started.
7. Original pick: Memphis. Replaced by: UConn.
What happened: I’m just giddy UConn won! I’m just giddy UConn won! I’m just giddy UConn won!
Prediction outcome: Correct. Two more wins and UConn takes home the title.
6. Original pick: Syracuse. Replaced by: Oklahoma.
What happened: There’s only so much Blake Griffin can do. North Carolina trapped him and double-teamed him almost every time he touched the ball. Griffin’s teammates shot just 15-of-42 collectively. The guy who shares the last name with Betty Crocker went 2-of-8. Sorry, I still have some bitter feelings for Betty…er…Tony Crocker.
Prediction outcome: Wrong.
5. Louisville
What happened: First, let me congratulate the Michigan State Spartans for using the extra motivation of playing the Final Four 90 miles away from campus to will them to beat Louisville. Special thanks to Goran Suton and his 17 first-half points. Without Suton’s contributions, the Spartans wouldn’t have led by three at halftime.
With that said, Louisville’s Earl Clark didn’t have the choke job I expected. Worse, Terrence Williams, the Cardinals best player, had the choke job. If you could peek into Williams head, you just might see a pin drop and no one would notice because that’s how quiet he was. Williams scored five points on 1-of-7 shooting.
Prediction outcome: CORRECT.
Final Four picks
4. Original pick: Michigan State. Replaced by: UConn.
What happened: Don’t want to talk about it. Still grieving.
Prediction outcome: Wrong. I’m still replaying the images in my head.
3. Original pick: Syracuse. Replaced by: Villanova.
What happened: North Carolina was the better team. As usual, the Tar Heels were explosive on offense and they turned up the defense. Man, Kansas ambushing them to a 40-12 start in last year’s Final Four must have been seared into their pysche’s. Villanova did battle and got within five early in the second half, but the Tar Heels just cruised from there.
Prediction outcome: Wrong.
National Runner-Up pick
2. Original pick: Pittsburgh. Replaced by: Michigan State.
What happened: Oh, it was basically a replay of the 35-point slaughter North Carolina handed Michigan State last December in Ford Field. The only difference this time for the Spartans was that the whole world got to see it and the 17-point “loss” was only half of what they suffered last time.
Prediction outcome: For the state of Michigan and its horrendous economy, I’m sadly wrong.
National Champion pick
1. Original pick: UConn. Replaced by: North Carolina.
What happened: Let me repeat again. North Carolina was the better team. Actually, I should say the North Carolina Tar Heels are the best team in men’s college basketball.
Prediction outcome: Wrong. For the last time in 2009.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Cheng Sio at Cheng.sio@colorado.edu.
