32 Thoughts, Facts, Stats, Ideas, And Ramblings For The 2nd Round Of The NCAA Tournament

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The first two days of The Tournament as always delivered in spectacular fashion. It's the best thing on the planet. On a regular Saturday when you watch games all day, it can feel like time is moving slow, somehow in the tournament you sit down for the first tip and the next thing you know it's 8:30 pm and guys are asking what to order for dinner. It's amazingly goes in a blink. The games have absolutely insane moments, plays, and moments of stupidity that make it all the more entertaining. It's literally the best event on the planet. I loved these two days so much and will for as long as I live. 

Let's cover a few things from yesterday and prepare for today and tmrw's round of 32 matchups. 

1- I'm not just saying this because he's the boss, but watching a team for a 5 minutes in a play in game, and then predicting they will beat a #1 Seed with a 7'4 center is one of those things gamblers talk about for centuries to come almost like folk lore. Like the guy my dad worked with who told him he paid for his shore house with his friends riding Citadel ATS in 2003. The team was so great to them they put up a flag in the front of the house.  What Dave did is unheard of. May never be replicated again. 

Truly a legacy win. 

2- You also have to give credit to Tobin Anderson to call his shot. What a savage. Unreal guts and balls to trust in his guys to not make him look like a dope. 

That's what March is all about. 

3- Shoutout FDU DOBO Ray Savage … don't say I never had your back 

4- I still have no idea how Zach Edey took 1 shot over the final 12 minutes of the game. That's something that I will bring up every few months if there's a lull in conversation like I do with Perry Ellis only taking 5 shots in an Elite 8 game vs Nova. Disgusting by Ellis. Painter had to figure something out to get Edey more touches and shots. Had to. 

5- Purdue is playing seed bingo and attempting to be the first team to lose to all 16 seeds. Which is an insane feat if they can get it done. 

6- Someone asked me about do's and do not's of food for the first weekend of the tournament. Let me tell you one big do not. Do not  have chili like my dad made in 2014. Had 9-10 guys watching games in a small living room and the department of health had to come after 24 hours of watching games over 2 days given the smells. DO NO DO CHILI no matter how good it tastes. 

7- I LOVE the under in the first 2nd round game for Furman San Diego St. UNDER 137. We just watched Furman struggle (yet still beat because Virginia STINKS) with an elite defensive . In fact if it wasn't for 10 three's by Furman they lose that game. 

8- Quick fact check… The Aztecs hold opponents to 28.9% from 3. Think Furman gets held to a residential speed limit here (35,45).  Under. 

9- How much more intense did this Duke Tennessee game get now that Purdue the 1 seed is out of the region ? I already said this was a super compelling matching, now it's MASSIVE. The winner can be wearing white in the Sweet 16 as a lower seed ? Who the hell predicted that ? This game has all the pressure now. Rick Barnes can't do shit in March, Scheyer in his first year. These two guys need a win bad. This is awesome awesome stuff. Even better it's at 2:40 in a standalone slot. I lean Tennessee because from the get go I said this is a team I wrote off with a great draw. Even without Zakai Ziegler , Tennessee is a super stingy defense and has wins this year over : Kansas, Maryland, Texas and Alabama. They hold opponents to 26.4 % from 3, they will play slow, they will play ugly, and they will play insane defense. Duke is very hot and look great, but are shooting 40% from 3 in their last three games for a team that shoots 33% on the year ? Am I crazy to expect a regression ? Especially vs a great Tennessee D ? 

10- Stat worth noting … 

Kansas may be without Bill Self and struggle on short turnarounds ? Arkansas has back to back Elite 8's and are back playing like the top 10 preseason team everyone predicted ? Keep it all in mind as you watch this one. We could lose another 1 seed again today. 

11- Missouri has the 7th best offense yet the 164th best defense in the country. They play at a fast tempo (94th). Princeton wants to slow it down, and is one of the best (8th) in the country at limiting offensive rebounds. It's Princeton + the points for me hear today, and I think they can win the game outright. 

12- Auburn has the luxury of playing the game today in Birmingham, AL vs a Houston team that looked not so great without Marcus Sasser. What an advantage for the Tigers today. I think if Houston was given the option by the committee they would have traded places with Kansas and gone out West if they knew they were playing a road game in round 2. Committee is wild sometimes, really are. 

13- I think Texas smashes State Penn today. State Penn hit 13 3 pointers vs A&M, Texas holds opponents to 32%. State Penn in an overrated Big 10 against the team who won the best conference in america ? I'll lay the wood. 

14- If UCLA or Gonzaga lose in the 2nd round and rob us from another chapter in that rivalry I will be super pissed off. Don't blow it guys. 

15- Here's some unbiased highlights the last time Nate GOATs and the boys faced Maryland in the 2nd round. 

Time to go to work boys ! 

17- This thread of sets teams have run on Day 1 (hoping he updates for Day 2) is absolute porn for basketball nerds. 

18- Shoutout Doug Mcdermott running Winner late in the shot clock as opposed to end of game. interesting wrinkle. 

19- Pittsburgh ABSOLUTELY DISMANTLED IOWA ST. Me and Kirk are 1 game away from Ireland … talk about content. 

#BRACKETBUSKERS #BRACKETBUSKERS #BRACKETBUSKERS #BRACKETBUSKERS #BRACKETBUSKERS 

Go get some Buskers Irish Whiskey ! 

20- I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried about Xavier. Did they struggle yesterday ? Sure, but in a tournament with a ton of high seeds who have coaches with not a lot of experience, Sean Miller's three trips to the Elite 8 is about as experienced as you can get. 

21- Find me a kid who wants to get back to MSG and the regional more than Markquis Nowell ? 

Find me a coach who's more fun than Jerome Tang ? 

Find me a better comeback story than Keyontae Johnson … 

I had a dream last night Calipari left mid game because he hated his team so much. I think it's just me having a weird brain, but man I will be rooting hard for K St on Sunday. 

22- Here we go again with Izzo as an underdog and the potential to sneak into the Sweet 16. Shaka better bring his best undershirt and polo because there's a TON of pressure on him to get back to another 2nd weekend, something he hasn't done since 2011. Marquette has looked great though. Love the way Kolek plays. 

23- I don't know what Danny Hurley did to piss off the selection committee, but man they sure tried to screw with Uconn in round 1. 

Didn't matter. UCONN rolled. Impressive win for Hurley and the crew, and now St.Mary's gets a shot at the Huskies in a game I can expect to play out like Rock Em Sock Em Robots. War. 

24- Was anyone shocked Pitino went to St.John's ? I still don't think he can save the place. 

25- Who would have thought Baylor would enter a 2nd round game where they are 84 spots worse on defensive efficincy than anybody ? But that's the case sunday as The Bears bring a 98th rated defense to Creighton who rates 14th. Mcdermott seems like a guy who has to win this game. Just 1 second weekend his whole career. 

26- It must be nice to win so much, the teams names become a blur and you mix up abbreviations like FAU and FDU. Stay hot boss. 

27- Miami Indiana will be must watch television. I love Miami's gaurds, and Trayce Jackson Davis might be The Big 10's last chance at ending a title drought. 

28- I love confidence, but Miller Kopp shouldn't be worrying about his post game secret phrases in this one. Miami is the real dela. Just be happy to get a win, and figure out the phrase after. 

29- Was anyone else amazed at how great of a look TCU had to win the game ? 

JaKobe Jones made a great move into the lane. What a winner for TCU. 

30- Gonzaga UCLA is the Sweet 16 game we need. I said it once, I'll say it again … give us the game please. 

31- It's nice the committee made the Bama game the last of the night so all the casual fans can go to sleep early when Bama smashes them in the 1st half. Love that. 

32 - Go buy some merch, bet responsibly, and have a hell of a wekeend.