2010 NCAA Tournament Running Diary Day 1

It's the best 2 days of the year, and it wouldn't be the same without thousands across the country doing a running diary of it, so allow me to join the crowd. I also haven't had a chance to post my picks and upsets, so here goes: Final 4 will be Kansas, K-State, West Virginia and Baylor. Cinderellas (no further than the Sweet 16 in any case): UTEP, Cornell and Siena.

12:21 P.M.: BYU-Florida will come down to two players, the Cougars' Jimmer Fredette and Florida's Chandler Parsons. If either one has a sub-par day, it will be an early exit for their squad.

12:29: BYU's offensive strategy so far seems to be have Fredette collapse the defense and kick out to his perimeter guys.

12:36: I'm starting to worry about Dr. Dre. First a Dr. Pepper ad and now HP. Did Suge extort him out of more royalties?

12:40: I mentioned it's important for Parsons to step in order for UF to have a chance, but they're also going to need contributions from Erving Walker and/or Kenny Boynton as we just saw there.

12:48: Florida's interior D establishing themselves as the half has gone. Notre Dame and Old Dominion are still getting their footing, sloppy game so far.

12:55: These Gators are looking more like the underachieving 01-05 squads who had no toughess and less like the bullying national title squads.

12:59: Looks like Notre Dame is more than happy to keep winning in 50-45 fashion. Which is fine against ODU, but that won't fly against Baylor.

1:03: Florida's early success from 3 is starting to fade. Meanwhile, Villanova is having trouble getting going, just 13 points with 5 and a half to go in the 1st half.

1:06: Florida withstands a 14-5 run by BYU to trail only by 2 at half.

1:19: Villanova looks like they're just waiting for Robert Morris to realize who and where they're playing, except RM doesn't look the least bit scared. The Wildcats' offense looks way too stagnant.

1:28: My brother, who is going to UF next year and claims to be a die-hard fan, even after watching the game for a half still can't name 5 players on the team. Gator fans are the best, Jerry, the best!

1:33: Given that I hadn't seen them play this year, BYU's defense has been a lot stingier than I expected, especially on the interior. That said, they need to do a better job of challenging the perimeter if they're going to a hang for the win here.

1:45 P.M.: Minor note that I'm being a stickler for. Kevin Harlan keeps mentioning that Vernon Macklin is helping a frontline that's been decimated by players leaving early. Not entirely true, while the three that won the back-to-back titles, they already wpuld've graduated in 08, and the other 2 (Marreesse Speights and Nick Calathes) were overrated at best.

1:52: Two eye-opening statistics at the 10-minute mark for Florida: no one in double-digit scoring and 0 assists/4 turnovers for Erving Walker.

1:58: Credit to BYU, every time Florida looks like they're about to make it close, they've been able to match it with a big play of their own. Dumb foul though on the layup on Walker.

1:59: For such a close game, this Notre Dame-Old Dominion game is near sleep-inducing. Somebody get Mike Tirico to call this one.

2:05: Another 3 by Florida gets it to 3. But Fredette makes up for it on the other end. If I'm Kansas State, I'm feeling pretty nervous about potentially facing this kid.

2:06: While Parsons has been kept in check, Kenny Boynton is keeping the Gators alive. He looks gassed however, checking Fredette on the defensive end and carrying the load on offense.

2:10: A Redick-like (Duke Redick I might add, J.J. is cool with me now) effort from Luke Harangody today, 0-7. That won't cut it as an 8th man in the NBA.

2:11: Bad possession by ND there, they didn't have to get the 3 there.

2:12: And they get bailed on a missed 1 and 1 by ODU.

2:15 P.M.: Horrendous shot selection by BYU and the Gators are looking for a killshot.

2:16: What a game of can you top this going in OKC!

2:19: I'm really look forward to the sudden emergence of Gator fans who haven't watched a basketball game in 3 years talking all sorts of noise.

2:20: ODU hangs on to beat Notre Dame by 1. I picked the Irish, but I'm not entirely surprised, cosnidering that ND basically got that 6-seed by haviing a nice run in the Garden last week.

2:24: Very surprised that Chandler Parsons missed that shot after the reputation he's built this year. Meanwhile, Robert Morris isn't going away.

2:28: Physically, Florida looks better prepared to survive OT.

2:31: If Robert Morris hangs on for the upeset, it's not because Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher didn't start, it's because they took this team lightly. 'Nova seems to still be waiting for Robert Morris to lose this game, instead of them trying to win it.

2:38: Florida showing the tougher effort here in the OT, as evidenced by the last few loose balls.

2:39: Excellent last-shot strategy by Florida there. And to think Billy Donovan could've been coaching the Magic....whew.

2:43: Boynton fould out and it now falls on Chandler Parsons to keep the Gators alive.

2:46: Near panic as March Madness On Demand crashed for 2 minutes during the RMU-Nova game. Tied with 52 seconds.

2:47: Looks like Villanova may get a reprieve as they'll have a chance for the last shot with 25 seconds left. 20+ turnovers may be ultimately what do in the Colonials.

2:50: I've never been a fan of having the last posession and lettin g the clock run all the way down to 6 or 7 seconds before making your move, you leave yourself no room for a 2nd chance.

2:51: Shades of Courtney Lee in Game 2 of the Finals there. You know, minus the holding and the goaltending.

2:55: At least The Ivan Brothers ads won't get very tired really quick.

3:00 P.M.: Billy Donovan has yet to win an NCAA Tournament game since robbing the Orlando Magic at gunpoint. The Magic have won 52, 59 and (as of today) 48 games respectively in those 3 years, made it to the NBA Finals last year and have a chance to do it again this year. Thanks again, William!

3:03: Scottie Reynolds just picked a good time to make his 2nd field goal of the game, that may have just ended the dream for RMU.

3:08: They're still alive after 2 free throws and a layup off an inbounds steal makes it 68-67. There's something different about this 15-seed team, most other low seeds would've gone into "well, that was nice, but it's over now" mode.

3:15 P.M.: Villanova got away with some questionable clock management after that block and quite frankly,I don't know what Robert Morris was doing on that last shot. That said, 2 overtime games and a game that went down to the final shot to start the day, we're off to a much better start this year than in the past few years.

3:25: Murray State leads Vandy by 4 at half. Not as shocking as some think, because Murray State has 30 wins on the year and the Comoodores are vulnerable away from their gimmick-court.

3:37: Freshman Gilberto Clavell helps Sam Houston State to a one-point lead over my Final Four pick, Baylor at half. Fun fact: Clavell comes from Florida Air Academy, my high school's archrival in basketball. FAA also produced Walter Hodge (played on Florida's 2 championship teams), Sasha Kaun (starting center on Kansas' title team), Rihards Kuksiks (starting SG at Arizona State), Evka Banilius (guard at South Carolina), amongst others, as well as Kuamaine Osbourne a guard who currently plays there who will be going to Sam Houston State next year. Not surprisingly, my school has beaten them just once in the last 11 years.

3:54: Vanderbilt is getting bullied inside by Murray State, this is starting to look like a repeat of the Siena game in '08.

4:07: The new guy for CBS, Spero Edes, isn't too bad. He gets a goos game to start with in Vandy-Murray St. Unfortunately, he has to work with Bob Wenzel who is thoroughly bland.

4:09: I really hope that A.J. Ogilvy is rocking that 'stache for ironic reasons only.

4:30: This is the first NCAA Tournament that I've watched in HD and I can already notice differenbt things. For instance, in HD, you can notice the shirt collar tightening around Kevin Stallings' throat.

4:36: Bad call by the Murray State guard there, should've gone up straight to the basket.

4:41: Murray State has a chance for the winner with 4 seconds left. Look for a screen and slash to the basket.

4:43: A picture-perfect buzzer-beater....nice!

4:55: Sam Houston State has nothing to be ashamed of, but Baylor has too much shooting and too many athletes, which is why I have them smoking Duke to go to Indianapolis next week.

5:00 P.M.: Done for now, but I'll be back between 8 and 8:30!

8:03: Ohio, who was the #9 seed in the MAC Tournament, leading Georgetown by 13 late in the 1st half. Admittedly, Ohio is a sentimental favorite of mine because I have a good friend who is an academic advisor to the team.

8:10: You wonder how long these shots will keep falling for Ohio. Unless you're an NBA team, it's hard to keep draining 3's over a sustained period of the game.

8:17: I know taking care of a 6-seed isn't exactly a priority of the commitee, but isn't it strange that Washington, who was one of the last teams in, gets to play in San Jose?

8:38: A badass alley-oop off the glass from Cooper to DeVaughn Washington for Ohio. This might be their night to make history. Well, since the Gary Trent days anyway.

8:44: Very surprising that the Hoyas seem to be getting zero calls around the basket tonight.

8:51: I feel like Northern Iowa would be a huge probelm for any #1 seed this year except Kansas. Too bad that's what UNI could be looking at.

9:03: Call me crazy, but if Ohio holds on and they face Tennessee, the Vols are just streaky enough that the Bobcats could continue their miracle run.

9:11: The one thing in Georgetown's favor is that they haven't packed it in yet. Meanwhile, the Rebels' guards are keeping them in it.

9:16: Too bad the Magic are playing tonight. Otherwise, Stan Van would have to be quite impressed with what we're seeing from the Bobcats at the arc.

9:19: The most surprising part of this game is that considering Georgetown's advantage is their size and to say that it's non-existent tonight would be generous.

9:30: The winning shot by UNI might've been one of the balliest shots I've ever seen.

9:38: annnnnnnnnnnnnd there's Washington when they're good.

9:43: Who's been in school longer: Lazar Hayward at Marquette or Edgar Sosa at Louisville?

9:44: Normally I'd call this an abject implosion, but Marquette is used to this by now.

10:00 P.M.: Quincy Pondexter with the potential dagger....was there any doubt?

10:15: Screw it, I'm ditching SDSU-UT for the Underachiever Classic aka Wake-Texas

10:37: I took Texas in this one based on the fact that I've never seen a team play less inspired than Wake has under Dino Gaudio.

10:50: Not a bad half of basketball by SDSU, but the Vols' D has been exceptional tonight.

11:01: I'm filling in my friend Anthony over at Keeping Busy, who's a sports fan but doesn't follow the college game on all the highlights of today and it's like showing someone what the latest gadgets can do.

11:04: So much for that, Texas-Wake is just straight up dull.

11:09: Just a tip to the networks: when there's a potentially gruesome injury on the court like the one we just saw in the New Mexico game, turn the courtside mics off. I'm pretty sure I just heard that I didn't think a human could make.

11:33: What is it about Kansas being a #1 seed that makes 16 seeds step their game up?

11:39: As soon as I say that, the Jayhawks flex their muscle on both ends of the floor, especially Marcus Morris getting nice with back-to-back swats.

11:45 P.M.: Arinze Onuaku likely out for the weekend for Syracuse. The door for Florida State to do major damage just swung open.

11:49: Maybe it's me, but I feel like Wayne Chism should be said a little more carefully.

11:58: Wake leading Texas by 2 with 2 to go. WHO WANTS IT LESS?

12:00 A.M.: Somehow, I just don't see things ending well for Tennessee's Brian Williams. Just a hunch. Hey B-Dub, avoid changing your faiths at all costs.

12:02 A.M.: Great block by UT's Avery Bradley to keep their season and J'Covan Brown immediately comes back down and ties it with a 3. I foresee a deadly Demon Deacon turnover coming.

12:06 A.M.: Good interior D by Wake to hang on to the lead.

12:07 A.M.: Wretched defensive strategy by SDSU on that possession as it looked like they were willing to let the Vols run out the shot clock down (leaving no less than 9 seconds on the game clock) and they paid for it when Goins nailed the 3.

12:10 A.M.: Damian James gets away with a big-time walk and gets the foul.

12:12 A.M.: Texas and Wake going to OT......they must be pissed.

12:22 A.M.: As OT drags on in the Big Easy, Montana's hanging around against a New Mexico that I honestly still know nothing about.

12:30 A.M.: Another one to the wire on this day as Wake wins in the final seconds. They're pissed that tehy'll have to play another game.

12:35 A.M.: Montana's Anthony Johnson is 0-11 from the field and they're still only down 3? Maybe it's their night.

12:40 A.M.: Mismanaged posession by Montana. Don't know why they were forcing into traffic there and it may have just cost them their shot at the upset.

12:43 A.M.: This has been the best day of tournament basketball since the weekend (they're tied together in my book) of the Elite 8 back in 2005 that featured 3 overtime games.

12:46 A.M.: Another poor offensive decision by Montana with another chance to tie it.

12:50 A.M.: After 12 hours and 40 minutes of pure, unadulterated college basketball bliss, Day One has come to an end......just wow. Even better, I get to spend part of Day Two breaking it down with a college coach.

Be sure to check in throughout the tournament for more updates!