We would say we’re sorry, but …

THE GAME EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT

Please make the room stop spinning
#2 Duke 71, #15 Belmont 70 (West)

[clears throat] Excuse us for just a moment. [walks into hallway, curses, destroys furniture, punches wall, kicks dog, returns] OK, much better.

Now, imagine what that would have been like had Duke lost. We didn’t see the game (poorly timed obligations this week have me working very, very late each night away from a computer), and that’s probably for the best. By all regards, Duke didn’t play poorly - just at a pedestrian pace. Meanwhile, Belmont played like a team that wasn’t afraid of Duke (and needn’t be, because it’s a game after all) and knew it needed to play the game of its life (and went out and did just that). A small part of us is disappointed the Bruins didn’t pull of the upset. A very small part.

Post-game, the MSM seemed to trip over themselves in a race to decide who could write the most poignant “But what does this MEAN for Duke???” piece. Ugh. These are the times when it is useful that these folks are paid to write articles that create emotional reactions (and thus forwards and page views), not necessarily articles that make a lick of damn sense. So, to them I say - Belmont played a great game, Duke played a ‘meh’ game, Duke barely won. This happens to some team in the tournament every g*ddamn year. Don’t oversell it just because it’s Duke.

TWO OTHER STORYLINES JUST FOR KICKS

You Heard It Here First
#11 Kansas State 80, #6 USC 67 (Midwest)

The lowest seed of the night to actually win was Kansas State, which … to the shock of everyone including myself … won based on teamwork rather than The Michael Beasley Show. Not that Beasley had a bad game, mind you - 23 points and 11 boards is nothing to sniff at. But three other Wildcats hit double digits, led by Bill Walker (22 points, 5 boards), who might finally be coming into his own. If that is true, Wisconsin should be very afraid on Saturday.

O.J. Mayo had a pretty good game himself for the Trojans, but the deciding factor in this game (as it so often is) was the supporting cast for each team, not their stars. Who knew that team play actually mattered? [hand goes up] Dammit, Princeton, stop being such a gunner and shut up.

You Heard It Here First Now Know I’m an Idiot
#4 Washington State 71, #13 Winthrop 40 (East)

Hey, Pullman! Good to see you! You look great! [awkward silence and stare] Seriously, great game last night. [more awkward silence] Look, you aren’t still mad about … [stare hardens, foot taps] Oh come on, I was just joking!

So, I may have underestimated Wazzu. (Or greatly overvalued the Big South. Equally likely, really.) The Cougars won in incredibly convincing fashion, setting up what will be one of the more intriguing match-ups of the day on Saturday between them and Notre Dame. (We’ll confess that our money is still on the Irish - mostly because we really want to see the Caucasian sausage arm fight between Luke Harangody and Tyler Hansbrough next weekend. We know that’s a little weird, but that’s how we roll.)

ONE LINE ON THE REST OF THE EVENING

I could do it in one word - chalk - but just for kicks:

#1 UCLA 70, #16 Mississippi Valley State 29 - MVSU accomplishes their goal of scoring more against UCLA than Jerry Rice scored in any one dance on Dancing with the Stars.

#3 Wisconsin 71, #14 Cal-State Fullerton 56 (Midwest) - Can Bruce Butch comfortably go to a lesbian bar? We’re just asking.

#5 Notre Dame 68, #12 George Mason 50 (East) - Mason continues to pay their karmic sentence for the 2006 Final Four; ND continues to reap karmic rewards for a 3-9 football season. And no, we don’t want to talk about that.

#7 West Virginia 75, #10 Arizona 65 (West) - Just what America needs - more Bob Huggins, and less of the coach who reminds us of Bob from The Company.

#9 Texas A&M 67, #8 Brigham Young 62 (West) - We cared about this game only because we picked it wrong. 8/9 games suck.