MARCH MADNESS THOUGHTS

Some thoughts that I have had since the brackets were released Sunday.

* No team in basketball is currently playing better then the Louisville Cardinals. People continue to criticize the fact that the went through the Big East regular season with out playing UCONN or Pitt on the road and that they did not play either in the conference tournament. Louisville went 16-2 in the best conference every assembled, and then went on to win that conference tournament. Can the Cards help it that both Pitt and UCONN lost in the conference tournament before they had a chance to play them? Louisville is playing better ball then anyone in the country. If they keep it up there is no reason to believe that they will be cutting down the nets in Detroit.

* You might want to watch the Play-In Game tonight or you may miss the best name in college basketball. Chief Kickingstallionsims is a 7’1” center for Alabama State. He is born of Native American decent and is a force in the paint for the Hornets. He averages just less than 10 points per game, shots 61% from the field and averages nearly three blocks a game. If the Chief can lead his team past Morehead State tonight, they will take on Louisville Friday in Dayton.

* Last year college basketball fans were introduced to the fantastic play of Patty Mills and Stephen Curry in the NCAA Tournament. This year both of these players missed a return appearance (hopefully they will be back next year), however there are plenty of other players that you will love to watch this March. Here is a small list of players from the field of 65 that I would pay admission to watch play. Some you may know, the others will hopefully will be around long enough to enjoy this March.
G – Ben Woodside, North Dakota State
Woodside could be this years Curry. He leads his team in scoring averaging nearly 23 a game. He also is a lights out shooter like Curry that can take over a game. He shoots 46% from 3, and 84% from the foul line. When he is not scoring Woodside leads the Bison offense by getting others involved. He averages 6.3 assists a game to a team that put up 80.8 points per game this season. The downfall for Woodside, his team drew the defending national champions Kansas in the first round.
G – Tyreke Evans, Memphis
Evans really is this seasons Derrick Rose, down to the same uniform and all. Rose was the freshman PG that led the Tigers to the title game last year and bolted to the NBA to get paid leaving a void for head coach John Calipari in starting lineup. Enter blue-chip recruit Evans who has done everything for this team. Make sure you watch him this season though, because he may follow Rose one more time and be 1-and-done in the college game.
G – Isaiah Thomas, Washington
Thomas does everything that the other basketball Isaiah Thomas (no relation) did on the floor and none of what he has done since. Thomas is the team leader for a very veteran Huskies team despite being a freshman. The 5’8” guard is like the Energizer Bunny on the court never seeming to run out of steam.
F – DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh
Everyone in Pittsburgh loves Steelers WR Hines Ward for the way that he seems to love the game, and most opposing fans hate him for the same reason. Blair is Hines Ward in gym shorts. Blair has a smile that he shows non-stop during the game. All in the while he is in the process of battering other teams big guys and getting his double-double only a daily basis.
G – Eric Maynor, Virginia Commonwealth
Maynor jumped on to the hoops scene two seasons ago when his VCU team upset Duke in the first round on a buzzer beater by Maynor. VCU then sent Pitt to overtime before being knocked off. Maynor averages over 22 a game and has a nice supporting cast that could lead VCU to another 1st round upset. This year’s victim would be UCLA.

Check back tomorrow for more NCAA previews.