“I think sports makes for good drama because it has all the same ingredients as anything worth reading or listening to or watching. Conflict, desire, heartbreak – it’s all there.” – Jay Baruchel
The good thing about regional championship weekend for The Wizard is there are only two games per day, thus making the evening’s writing assignments a bit more manageable. Of course, that doesn’t guarantee tonight’s diatribe will be any shorter than usual. Brevity is not something I’m known for.
Arizona Dekked by Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Badgers were the first team to earn a trip to Indy with a performance that was as dominant as it was impressive.
- The Rematch – I believe I am correct when I say it has never happened in the 64-team era before. Wisconsin and Arizona met not only in a rematch from last year’s tournament, but a rematch at the same stage of the tournament, a regional final. Last year the Badgers prevailed by a single point in overtime.
- The Re-Rematch – As if that weren’t ironic enough, Wisconsin will now face the same team they faced last year in the national semifinal, the Kentucky Wildcats. Talk about lightning striking twice. With Notre Dame’s near upset of mighty Kentucky this evening, many are giving Wisconsin a legitimate shot at spoiling the perfect season.
- More Threes, Please – Wisconsin put on a shooting clinic tonight, especially from long range. Did you know that the Badgers made 10 of 12 three point shots…in the second half? As Clark Kellogg pointed out in the night’s final post game analysis, Wisconsin made 30 out of 39 shots of ANY type – two point, three point, or free throw – in the second half. Those numbers are otherworldly.
- Dekk The Halls – Frank “The Tank” Kaminsky led all scorers with 29 points, but Sam Dekker arguably made the critical shots, with 27 points of his own including 5 out of 6 three pointers. I’ll give Sam the Spike Lee award for receiving an on-air endorsement from Reggie Miller for his trash talking skills, too.
- Foul Fest – Wisconsin is a team that doesn’t foul and doesn’t turn the ball over. Did you know that Wisconsin opponents shoot, on average, just eight free throws per game? That statistic makes it all the more astonishing that Arizona went to the line an incredible 30 times and made 28. If it weren’t for free throws, the Wildcats would have suffered a double-digit blowout.
Survive And Advance
it seems that every national champion must survive at least one close call in the six games it must win to take home the title, and tonight’s victory over Notre Dame by the still-undefeated Kentucky Wildcats might just qualify. If you missed this one, well, it was almost the biggest upset since Villanova beat Georgetown in 1985.
- Big Zach Attack! – Notre Dame forward Zach Auguste turned in an, ahem, august performance with 20 points and an incredible 10 for 13 shooting from the floor. Auguste was killing Kentucky all game long, and were it not for foul trouble limiting his minutes, he might have gone for 30.
- Almost Perfect, Almost Famous – The repeated refrain has always been, “To beat Kentucky, you have to play the perfect game.” That’s precisely what the Irish did…almost. Consider this. Notre Dame didn’t commit a turnover for 29 minutes of game time, but committed one with 34 seconds to play with the game tied on a shot clock violation. Monday morning quarterbacks will undoubtedly question why Notre Dame coach Mike Brey used his last timeout to set up the defense rather than saving it in case Kentucky scored, which they did, on two free throws with six seconds left. Jerian Grant’s desperate three pointer for the win sailed over the rim as time expired. Ashley Judd survives to dance in the stands for one more game.
- Going to Town – In many ways this game ended up being the battle of the big men, with Kentucky’s Karl-Anthony Towns playing the Ying to Auguste’s Yang. Towns was one of only TWO Kentucky players in double figures with 25 points, ironically, with precisely the same shooting numbers as Auguste: 10 for 13.
- Chasing History – Kentucky, now 38-0, is just two games shy of doing what has never been done, a 40-0 perfect season with a national championship on top. Tomorrow we find out the other two teams who might be standing in their way.
Random Musings
- Hyphenation Nation – Not that it has anything to do with anything, but I’ve noticed a preponderance of hyphenated names in this year’s tournament field. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Willie Cauley-Stein, Karl-and Anthony Towns all played today.
- Band On The Run – And while we’re talking about the utterly irrelevant, who pays the travel expenses for all the pep bands? I mean, do they travel with the team? Are they subject to a 487 page NCAA student-musician handbook? If somebody buys them a pizza, do they lose their trombone scholarship? Just wondering.
- Predictive Crowd Sourcing – I just happened to notice that, as a group, the minions were a pretty good source for tournament predictions. The top 8 vote getters from you minions for national champion just happened to be exactly this year’s Elite Eight. Pretty crazy, huh?
Quick Awards
- The Octogenarian award and a big happy birthday goes to GGma Dotty Charlson who celebrates another fantastic birthday today and, reportedly, the fact that she is besting her descendants in this year’s contest. Dotty has been as high as 35th and currently sits at a respectable 118. Don’t get smart, kids. That’s her rank, not her age. Grandma Dotty had both games right today, and has Duke and Louisville on a re-pick tomorrow. Happy birthday, and keep showing those grandkids who’s boss!
- The Never Make It Personal award goes to Sammy “How is Kentucky a 1 Seed” Brauen who briefly held 2nd place after Wisconsin’s win only to drop back to fourth because he had originally picked Maryland to beat Kentucky in the Sweet 16. He swallowed hard and took UK on a re-pick, but the re-pick penalty cost him a couple of spots.
- The Jabberwocky award, so named because it is what her cool alias reminds me of, goes to Schneckapock, aka Abby Schneckloth, who has crept into 7th place.
- The Glow In The Dark Cat Hat award goes to Paul “let me know how I do” Sopke. Just letting you know, Paul, that it’s not good. 748th, to be exact.
- And the last one for today, the By The Hair of Your Chinny Chin Chin award goes to new first place minion Garrison Cooper who leads Sue Chmura not by score but by virtue of the first tiebreaker.
It looks like things are shaping up for a very close finish in this year’s contest, with the top 10 positions separated by less than 10 points. Tune in tomorrow for the remaining regional finals, and watch for the Regional Roundup in your mailbox afterward.
Until then, stay frosty, minions.
The Wizard of Whiteland