Final Score- Arkansas 92, Tennessee 91

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament

I can't take it anymore... Oh, the close finishes! The last six games here at the SEC Tourney have been decided by 6 points or less, and four of those were by 2 or less. Tonight's game was no different. Arkansas caught the Vols early lead and tied it with about five minutes to play. From there on, the teams continued to trade leads. Finally, with a minute to go, Tennessee took a one point lead and left fifteen seconds on the clock for the Razorbacks. Who do the Hogs go to??? Weems? No. Ervin? Think again. Beverly? Not a chance. Townes? Don't think so. Arkansas goes to big man Steven Hill, who at the time had no points in the game. Hill caught the ball about ten feet away, turned around, and hit a fade away jump shot to put the Hogs up one with five seconds left. Tennessee pushed the floor and Lofton tried a contested 3 point shot at the buzzer, but it fell short and Arkansas came away with the win.

For Tennessee, they will probably be a 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and must make another early exit back to Knoxville.

As for the Hogs, the Pig Sooey can stay another day. Arkansas will play the winner of the UGA-MSU game, which is set to tip in about ten minutes.

So, another wild finish in Atlanta, and now we're on to the last semifinal game here at the SEC Tournament between Mississippi State and Georgia!

Final Score- Georgia 60, Kentucky 56 in OT

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament

This game ended about two hours ago, but I havent been able to update you due to a dying laptop... and, yet another, Tornado in downtown Atlanta. This one wasnt as destructive as last night's, but the radar shows that more is coming tonight.

The game was back and forth until the end of regulation, and five more minutes were added. In Overtime, Georgia took the early lead but UK held on. With the score tied and 45 seconds left in Overtime, Kentucky held the ball until 15 seconds were left before Ramel Bradley grabbed a long rebound and scored on a fifteen foot jump shot to put the Wildcats ahead 56-54 eith 8.8 seconds left. After the Bulldogs discussed their strategy in a timeout, freshman Zac Swansey, who had no points in regulation, drove the length of the court, spun at the three point line, and sank a 3 point shot with just 1.2 seconds left to put the Bulldogs on top for good. After a Christian Laetner type play went out of bounds with out anyone touching it, Georgia took over possession with 1.2 still left on the clock. Billy G did a smart move by fouling with no time running off the clock. Georgia made their free throws and the rest is history.

For Kentucky, they'll have to wait til tomorrow at five to see their fate, but its most likely good. They should be seeded around a 9-11.

As for Georgia, they must face Mississippi State tonight after the Tennessee- Arkansas game. Speaking of Vols and Hogs, I'm back here at Alexander Memorial Coliseum, and this place is rockin'. There are quite a few Tennessee fans here to compliment a lot of Arkansas fans. Pig Sooey and Rocky Top cheers keep going back and forth, and this makes for one exciting game. Tip off is in about 25 minutes.

As I said earlier, I have a dying computer with no outlets to plug it into (GA Tech's gym isn't the most up-to-date, to say the least). So, if you don't see any updates at halftime of this game, don't worry- no tornadoes took me away.

Halftime Update- Kentucky 25, Georgia 22

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament

Wow what a first half here at the Georgia Do- excuse me... Alexander Memorial Fieldhouse. That's right, for those of you who havent been watching, they moved the remainder of the SEC Tournament to Georgia Tech's basketball stadium, which seats roughly 9000. Well, with 26000 tickets to the games today in people's hands, not everyone will fit. So, they decided to let only the team's bands, their cheerleaders, the players' family, and the media in. I'd say there's about 1000 people here, give or take.... And about 800 of them are Wildcat fans. I have no idea how all these Kentucky people got in, but somehow they did. I guess Billy Gillespie has a lot of relatives, huh?

On to the game.
Georgia jumped out to a big lead early on behind a couple of Terrence Woodbury 3-pointers to take a 16-4 lead. From there on out, it was all UK. Kentucky outscored the Bulldogs 21-6 to go into the hald up by three. Neither team has been able to make the open jump shot. Joe Crawford leads the Wildcats with ten points, two from three point shots. Terrance Woodbury paces the Bulldogs with 8 points, with 2 three pointers of his own.

It is absolutely amazing to watch this game being played in such a small arena as this one. If you're not watching on tv, I'd advise you to do so. It should be a fun one here in the second half, so join me in an hour when I wrap things up!

Tornado Update

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament

Well, I'm out of downtown Atlanta and back at my hotel finally. I gotta tell you, the ATL is a mess. The Dome is damaged pretty bad on the upper deck, and the World Congress Center next door got hit by the tornado very seriously. I walked over after the Mississippi State - Alabama game and saw that the INSIDE of the building is flooded. There is a waterfall on the escalator inside. It is really something amazing to see.

Anyways, the UGA- UK game has been postponed, if you haven't heard. I probably heard a million complaints from fans, mostly Cats fans, about how they should've just played the game tonight. I disagree. I think they made a wise choice, since it was already midnight, PLUS the building is unsafe right now. I should know so- I was sitting on press row when the tornado struck and a bolt from the upper deck about the size of a hockey puck landed three feet away from me.

It's hard to get focused on basketball when something like this happens, but I'm sure gonna try. The SEC/NCAA have not released the time for tomorrow's games yet, but I figure it will look something like this:
1:00 Kentucky vs. Georgia (Round 2)
7:30 Tennessee vs. Arkansas (Semifinals)
9:45 Miss State vs. UK-UGA winner (Semifinals)

They have to play all of the semifinal round tomorrow, because they have to play the championship game on sunday at one, to get it in before the Selection Show at six.

Speaking of Selection Show, I'll have an updated S-Curve and Bubble tomorrow morning!

But until then, get some sleep, and recover from today's March Madness.

Final Score- Mississippi State 69, Alabama 67 in OT

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament

It was a crazy game to say the least. With ten minutes left in the game, it turned into a battle of whoever held the last possession was going to win this game. Jamont Gordon broke through in the second half for the Bulldogs, scoring 20 points in the second half alone. State led the Tide by 3 with only two seconds left, but chose not to foul. Instead, they let Mykal Riley shoot a three for Alabama, and he drilled it to send the game to overtime.

About halfway through OT, with MSU ahead by three points, the Dome started shaking, and paper started flying throughout the air. A tornado had hit downtown Atlanta, and it took pieces of the Georgia Dome with it. After a thirty minute delay, play resumed and State overcame a last second Mykal Riley three point shot that could have tied it, but fell just short.

For Alabama, they can look forward to the NIT.
As for State, they will play the winner of the Georgia Kentucky game, coming up in about half an hour (they are still waiting to check the weather before they let either team on the court). Overall, one of the best second round games ever in the SEC Tournament, and the second overtime game so far in this Tourney alone.

Well, I'm headed back up to the press box to grab some food and calm down from all the confusion and emotion. Back at halftime with an update!

Halftime Update- Alabama 36, Mississippi State 29

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament

Wow, can Alabama shoot! Stat of the half: 3 point field goals: Alabama 8-15, MSU 1-10.
What about the non-3 point shooting? As in 2 point field goals: Alabama 4-15, MSU 9-19.

Mississippi State is getting the ball inside to their two big men, Charles Rhodes and Jarvis Varnado. The two are a combined 9-13 with 21 points. The rest of State's team is a combined 1-16 with 8 points. Eventually, you'd have to think the 3's will start falling for the Bulldogs.

Alabama is relying deeply on their 3 point shot to win this game. While they are shooting 53 percent from 3, they are only 24 percent from the rest of the field. Mykal Riley is shooting lights out, just as he did yesterday against Florida. He is 3-7 from 3, and leads the Tide with 13 points.

Press Row is fun! It's a bit more crazy down here than in the relaxed atmosphere of the press box, but overall its a very good experience.

Finally Situated

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament

Good evening ladies and gentlemen! Sorry for the delay... But I have met some good friends who have seats on press row and they have invited me down there for the Mississippi State- Alabama game. This should be very exciting, as I have been sitting in the press box for the entire tournament. Earlier today, Arkansas took care of Vanderbilt, 81-75. It was a back and forth game the entire second half, but in the end, the Razorbacks were too much for the 'Dores. The Hog outrebounded Vandy 45-24, including 22 offensive rebounds.

This pits Tennessee against Arkansas in tomorrow's first semifinal matchup.

Coming up tonight, Mississippi State will battle Alabama and Georgia will try to upset Kentucky.
It should be two very exciting games, much like the two from earlier today.
Check back at halftime for an update on the game, and how I'm dealing with press row.

Final Score- Tennessee 89, South Carolina 87

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament

Wow, what a game! Chris Lofton hits a three with 15 seconds left to put the Vols up by two. A late desperation three by Carolina wouldn't fall, and Tennessee hangs on for a 2 point win. For the Gamecocks, this was Dave Odom's last game. As for Tennessee, they will face the Vanderbilt-Arkansas winner.... coming up shortly!

Halftime Update- Tennessee 41, South Carolina 40

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament

I'm very surprised to see South Carolina keeping up with the pace of Tennessee. Zam Fredrick is leading the Gamecocks with 18 points, going 4-7 from three in the first half. Meanwhile, the Volunteers are just 2-13 from three point range. The Tennessee crowd has definitely quited, however they should get fired back up in the second half, as their Vols should take this game the rest of the way.

In other games being played:

Wisconsin 51, Michigan 34 FINAL... Wisconsin moves on to the Big Ten semifinals and will face the Michigan State-Ohio State winner.

North Carolina 83, Florida State 70 FINAL... North Carolina takes care of the Seminoles and remains ahold of the overall one seed. As for Florida State, their bubble may have just burst with that loss.


Texas 50, Oklahoma State 40, ten minutes to go... Again, Texas playing for that one seed, while the Cowboys are playing for an NCAA Tournament berth.

The Vols are back on the court, and sounds of Rocky Top are echoing throughout the Dome! I'll be back after the game.

Getting Set for Day Two

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament

Good afternoon everyone! Day two is about to get underway at the 2008 SEC Tournament, and I couldn't be more excited! After a day of four great college basketball games yesterday, today's games should only get better. Tip-off for Tennessee and South Carolina is in about 15 minutes, and this place is starting to fill up. I know one thing and one thing only right now... There are a LOT of Tennessee fans here. A LOT. They definitely outnumber the UK fans right now, which if you've ever been to an SEC Tournament, you know is hard to do. Some other games going on right now that will impact the S-Curve and Bubble situation:
Wisconsin 26, Michigan 18 at the Half..... Wisconsin playing for a possible two seed, more likely a three.... Michigan playing for an automatic bid if they win the Big Ten Tournament.
North Carolina 32, Florida State 28..... UNC playing for the overall number one seed in the NCAA Tournament.... FSU gets into the field of 64 with a win today.
Texas 13, Oklahoma State 13 with 13 to go in the first half.... Texas playing for a possible one seed... OkSt playing for a chance at the NCAA Tournament, they are on the bubble right now.

A minute ago, all of the Tennessee fans started standing up and cheering and I looked down from the press box to see what it was- Bruce Pearl had come out... Sorry folks, no orange blazer today.

I'll be back at the half to an update... Enjoy it!

Thursday Night's NCAA Tournament Outlook

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament

Right now, there will be 47 teams put in since 18 bids will be given to teams with no shot of making the NCAA Tournament. Therefore, we must find the top 47 teams. Note that the number could decrease if a team not listed were to in their major conference tournament.

Seed--S-Curve--Team----------Record---RPI----Next Game

--1------1------North Carolina---29-2------2----Florida State
--1------2------Memphis--------31-1------3----Southern Miss
--1------3------Tennessee------27-3------1----South Carolina
--1------4------UCLA-----------28-3------6----USC

--2------5------Kansas---------27-3------8-----Nebraska
--2------6------Texas----------25-5------5------Oklahoma State
--2------7------Duke-----------26-4------4------Georgia Tech
--2------8------Georgetown----26-4------7------West Virginia

--3------9------Wisconsin------26-4-----13-----Michigan
--3------10-----Stanford-------25-6-----18-----Washington State
--3------11-----Xavier---------27-5------9-------St. Joseph's
--3------12-----Drake----------26-4----12------won MVC

--4------13-----Vanderbilt------26-6----10------Arkansas

--4------14-----Louisville-------24-8-----11------DONE
--4------15-----Purdue---------24-7----36----Illinois
--4------16-----Butler----------29-3----16-----won Horizon

Seed--S-Curve--Team----------Record---RPI-----Next Game
--5------17-----Indiana---------25-6----17-----Minnesota
--5------18-----Michigan State--24-7----15------Ohio State
--5------19-----Connecticut----24-8----14-----DONE
--5------20-----Marquette------23-8----23-------Pittsburgh

--6------21-----Wash State-----24-7----20------Stanford
--6------22-----Notre Dame----24-7----19------DONE
--6------23-----BYU------------25-6----22------San Diego State
--6------24-----Pittsburgh-----23-9-----24------Marquette

--7------25-----USC-----------21-10----31-------UCLA
--7------26-----Clemson--------21-8----21--------Boston College
--7------27-----Miss State-----21-9-----38-------Alabama
--7------28-----West Virginia--22-9-----32-------Georgetown

--8------29-----Gonzaga-------25-7-----30-------DONE
--8------30-----Oklahoma-----21-10----25-------Colorado
--8------31-----Miami (FL)----21-9------27-------Virginia Tech
--8------32-----St. Mary's-----24-6-----37-----DONE

Seed--S-Curve--Team----------Record---RPI---Next Game
--9------33-----Kansas State--19-10----45------Texas A&M
--9------34-----Arkansas------20-10----42-------Vanderbilt
--9------35-----UNLV----------23-7-----28------Utah
--9------36-----Texas A&M----22-9-----47-----Kansas State

--10-----37-----Kentucky------18-11----49-----Georgia
--10-----38-----Kent State-----26-6----26-----Miami (OH)
--10-----39-----Davidson------25-6-----40-----won Southern
--10-----40-----South Alabama--24-6----39------DONE

--11-----41-----Ohio State-----19-12---48-------Michigan State
--11-----42-----Baylor----------20-10----34-----DONE
--11-----43-----Massachusetts--21-10---41------DONE
--11-----44-----Illinois State----23-9----35-----DONE

--12-----45-----VCU------------24-7----57-------DONE
--12-----46-----St. Joseph's-----20-11--52-------Xavier
--12-----47-----Massachusetts--21-10--48-------DONE

------BUBBLE BURSTS HERE-----

--OUT--48-----New Mexico-----24-8----52------DONE
--OUT--49-----Arizona---------19-14---29-----DONE
--OUT--50-----Villanova-------19-12---57-------DONE
--OUT--51-----Virginia Tech---18-12---63-------Miami (FL)
--OUT--52-----Temple---------19-12--61--------Charlotte
--OUT--53-----Arizona State---19-12---76-------DONE
--OUT--54-----Dayton---------21-10---31-------DONE
--OUT--55-----Florida State----19-13---58-------North Carolina
--OUT--56-----Charlotte-------20-12---64--------Temple
--OUT--57-----Nebraska-------19-11---95--------Kansas
--OUT--58-----Creighton-------20-10---42-------DONE

Final Score- Georgia 97, Ole Miss 95 in OT

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament

Wow! What a game! With 15 seconds left and Ole Miss down by three, they give the ball to David Huertas, who at the point was 7-11 from three. He shoots for the tie, air-balls, but gets fouled. Three free throw attempts later, and this game is tied! A desperation shot was too late from Georgia and we are headed to Overtime! What a great way to end the day.

Dwayne Curtis is stepping it up here in overtime for the Rebels, making two layups along with the foul. If he had made the two free throws, it'd be a four point game but instead, Ole Miss is only up two with two to go. Ole Miss misses a 3 pointer, and Georgia goes down to the other end where Dave Bliss has an opportunity for a three point play. SWISH! Georgia 91, Ole Miss 90 with 1:15 to play in OT. A steal by Billy Humphrey for Georgia and he is fouled. He makes the first... He makes the second. 93-90 Georgia with 30 seconds left, Ole Miss' ball. TIMEOUT. Well, it doesn't get any better than this, guys. Two SEC Teams battling it out for the right to advance to the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament (and a bid to the Big Dance, for the Rebs). If I'm Andy Kennedy, I'm getting the ball to Huertas and letting him get his best 3-point attempt. Let's see what they decide to do.

They're gonna try for the final shot. Dwayne Curtis ends up taking the three point shot..GOOD! Only, his foot was inside the line, 2 point bucket. So now its 93-92 Georgia up with the ball and 15 seconds remaining. Hey Ole Miss, the Selection Committee is watching. Time to show them what you got. The Rebels waste five seconds fouling, but they get the guy they want. Sundiata Gaines goes to the stripe for UGA. Makes one, makes two. Ten seconds left, Rebels down 3, one last possession. Chris Warren shoots a three for them, misses but is FOULED! AGAIN! 5 seconds remaining. The first- Good. The second- Good. The third- Good! Boy, how clutch is Ole Miss' free throw shooting?! I guess they wanna go to the NCAA Tournament after all. Ok, 5 seconds left and this game is tied, UGA ball. Dave Bliss shoots a six-footer...GOOD! At the buzzer!!! UGA wins it, 97-95. One of the best first round games I have ever experienced!

Wow, its hard to settle down after that one, but I've got to find a way.

Ok, so the schedule for tomorrow reads:
1:00 South Carolina vs. Tennessee
3:15 Vanderbilt vs. Arkansas
7:30 Alabama vs. Mississippi State
9:45 Georgia vs. Kentucky

Well, I'm headed back to the hotel where, as promised, I will update the S-Curve and bubble situations for you (which Ole Miss will NOT be on). So hang in there and try to stay awake and I'll do the same.

Halftime Update- Georgia 44, Ole Miss 40

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament


Well, surprise surprise. The Bulldawgs lead the Rebs by four at the break. No one saw this coming. The numbers are amazingly similar between the two teams. Georgia is shooting 57 percent, Ole Miss is shooting 56. Georgia is 5-9 from 3's, Ole Miss is 4-9. Georgia has 13 rebounds, Ole Miss has 13. Georgia has 4 offensive rebounds, Ole Miss has 4. Georgia is 5-9 from the foul line, Ole Miss is 6-8. But the only difference that matters at the end of the game is the one that says "score", and right now Georgia owns that category. The Bulldawgs are being led by their two guards, Terrance Woodbury and Billy Humphrey, who have combined shot 5-7 from three point land and have 24 of Georgia's 44 points at halftime. However, look for the Rebels, who are fighting for an NCAA Tournament bid, to come out fired up in the second half and take this game.

Speaking of fighting for NCAA Tournament bids, does anybody want them?!?

Bubble team after bubble team keep losing today. Here are some more scores:

Charlotte 69, Massachusetts 65 FINAL
Washington State 75, Oregon 70 FINAL
UNLV 89, TCU 88 FINAL
Maryland 44, Boston College 44 10 minutes left
Marquette 54, Notre Dame 54 10 minutes left
Texas A&M 46, Iowa State 37 6 minutes left

Bubble teams Massachusetts and Oregon lost just now making the bubble more and more complicated. It is going to be very fun tonight putting together my S-Curve for you guys, along with my bubble list.

On to the second half! Ole Miss, if you want to play in the NCAA Tournament, you can! Win this game, and you should be in the next projected brackets as IN.

Final Score- Alabama 80, Florida 69

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament


Florida tried to give them a run, but just fell behind too big too early. The Gators had the lead cut to six with six minutes to go, but every time Florida would score, Alabama would answer. The Crimson Tide used a 1-2 punch of their own to knock off the 3-time SEC Champs. Mykal Riley went 8-13 from three point range to pace the Tide with 26 points, while Richard Hendrix provided 22 more. For the Gators, they no longer have to worry about if they're in the NCAA Tournament or not... Because they'll be in the NIT. The Gator bubble has officially burst. As for Alabama, they will meet Mississippi State, who beat them twice in the regular season, tomorrow night.

On to other scores of interest.

No surprises in these:

UCLA 88, Cal 66
Temple 84, La Salle 75
Nebraska 61, Missouri 56
Memphis 75, Tulane 56
Kent State 77, Toledo 57

Here's one you might not have seen coming.
Pittsburgh 76, Louisville 69 in OT. The Panthers knocked off Louisville to live another day in the Big East Tournament. The Cardinals fall to the 4-5 seed range while Pitt moves up to around a six seed and will meet the winner of Marquette-Notre Dame tomorrow.

Coming up:
Georgia vs. Ole Miss
The Rebels handled UGA handily last saturday in Athens, winning by double digits, so you would think tonight's game wouldn't be very close. The Ole Miss faithful are here and they are pretty loud. Not surprisingly, not a lot of Bulldawg fans here, however I'm liking their band, dishing out popular song after popular song.

I'll be back at halftime!

Halftime Update- Alabama 46, Florida 23

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament


No, this is not a typo. The Crimson Tide really lead the Gators by 23 going into halftime. The game got out of hand early when Alabama jumped out to a 30-5 lead, but the Gators have been able to keep pace with them since then. The Tide's huge lead can be credited to Richard Hendrix and Mykal Riley, who have 15 and 14 points, respectively. Florida has no one with over 5 points, and is shooting just 9 from 30 from the field.

On to some actually COMPETITIVE basketball games...

UCLA took care of California, 88-66 to hang on to the last number one seed at this point.

Temple defeated La Salle84-75 to stay put on the bubble.

Bubble team, Nebraska, is currently winning against Missouri, 33-29 with 16 minutes.

Some other scores of interest:

Pittsburgh 47, Louisville 43, 12 minutes left

Memphis 57, Tuland 36, 10 minutes left

Kent State 46, Toledo 35, 16 minutes left

On to the second half, lets see if the Gators can fight their way back into this one!

Preview of Tonight

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament


Already today, there have been plenty of games with significant impacts on who makes the NCAA Tournament and who doesn't. Here are a few teams that helped themselves, and a few teams who hurt themselves.

Stock Rising
Florida State
Oklahoma State
West Virginia
St. Joseph's
USC

Stock Falling
Villanova
Dayton
UAB
Connecticut
Arizona State
Baylor
Houston

Additionally to these teams, there will be 16 games happening tonight that involve teams that are either already in the NCAA Tournament as at-larges, or on the bubble. They are:

UCLA 78, Cal 46 5 minutes left
La Salle 33, Temple 43 halftime
Pittsburgh vs. Louisville
Missouri vs. Nebraska
Tulane vs. Memphis
Toledo vs. Kent State
Alabama vs. Florida
Charlotte vs. Massachusetts
Boston College vs. Maryland
Oregon vs. Washington State
TCU vs. UNLV
Marquette vs. Notre Dame
Iowa State vs. Texas A&M
Georgia vs. Mississippi
Arizona vs. Stanford
Utah vs. New Mexico

Teams in bold represent either at-large or on the bubble as of today.

I'll continue to keep you updated on these games as well as the Alabama-Florida game which I am attending.
Speaking of which, Florida's fans have already started their "Go Gators" chant, and Bama fans quickly fired back with shouts of "Roll Tide". This should be a fun one.

Final Score- Vanderbilt 93, Auburn 82

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament


Vanderbilt can shoot, and they can shoot it well. The Commodores went 33 of 49 from the field today for a 67 percent field goal rating. They also went 9 of 18 from 3 point land, along with shooting 78 percent from the foul line, 18-23. They used one of the best 1-2 punches in the land behind A.J. Ogilvy and Shan Foster. Ogilvy was a near perfect on the day, going 12 of 13 from the field to lead Vanderbilt with 27 points. Foster went 9 of 14 from the field, along with 6 of 9 from 3 point range. He had 26 points.

Though Vanderbilt may have looked impressive, winning by only 11 over a terrible Auburn team is nothing to brag about. Up next, they have Arkansas in round two of the SEC Tournament.

A quick look at scores from around the nation:

Miami (FL) took care of business to solidify themselves in the NCAA Tournament with a 63-50 win over N.C. State. The Hurricanes get Virginia Tech, another team on the bubble, tomorrow.

BYU beat Colorado State handily, 89-62 to keep them in the 6-8 seed range. The Cougars will face the winner of the San Diego State- Air Force game tomorrow.

St. Joseph's is trying to work their way off the bubble and into the field, and they helped themselves today. They beat Richmond 61-47, and will play Xavier tomorrow in the Atlantic Ten semifinals.

USC destroyed what may have been Arizona State's last gasp at a NCAA Tournament birth, as they beat the Sun Devils 59-55 this afternoon. USC gets the UCLA-Cal winner tomorrow, while Arizona State falls to the bottom of the bubble and must wait until Sunday to see if they are in or out.

A few pretty big upsets today:
West Virginia took down Connecticut, 78-72. The Mountaineers fall into the 6-8 seed range after the win, while UConn falls to somewhere around a 5-6 range. West Virginia will play Georgetown tomorrow in the Big East semis.

The worst team in the Big XII, Colorado State upset Baylor, 91-84 in double overtime. The Bears, who were just into the field coming into today, are now back on the bubble after the embarrassing loss. Colorado will get Oklahoma tomorrow in the 4-12 matchup.

Thats all for this session. I'm off the food court, and will be back in an hour and a half to give you a preview for tonight!

Halftime Update- Vanderbilt 47, Auburn 36

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament


What turned out to be a more entertaining first half than I anticipated, Vanderbilt has an eleven point lead over the Tigers. Neither team can miss a shot at this point, as both teams are a combined 12-23 from the 3 point line. Shan Foster is showing why he is the SEC Player of the Year as he scored 19 in the first half and went 5-7 from 3 point line. The crowd here is still a little small, but that was expected with Tennessee, Mississippi State, and Kentucky not playing today.

Now to scores from around the nation.

No surprises in these scores:
Miami is leading N.C.St 52-38 with a few minutes left.
St. Joseph's is beating Richmond 50-33 with five minutes remaining.
BYU is takin care of Colorado State,52-40 with 16 minutes left.

Here are a few scores that are shaking things up:
West Virginia 57, Connecticut 48 with 10 minutes left.
Arizona State 39, USC 36 with 16 minutes left.
Colorado 48, Baylor 34 with 15 minutes left.

Well, its time for the second half to start. Join me after the game for a post game recap, more scores and a new look at the S-Curve and Bubble.

Final Score- South Carolina 77, LSU 73

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament


Not much of a game, as expected. South Carolina was led by DeWayne Day who was three rebounds short of a triple-double, scoring 12 points while dishing out 11 assists and grabbing 7 boards. The game looked over with a minute remaining and USC on top 73-64, however, poor free throw shooting by the Gamecocks and a couple of lucky three pointers by LSU made it a three point game with 20 seconds left. Marcus Thornton missed the open 3-pointer that would've tied it, and a Carolina free throw sealed it.

I wasn't very impressed with either team. For LSU, their season is now over, and interim head coach Butch Pierre can now begin his tenure at LSU, going 5-5 this season in ten games as the head coach of the Tigers once Brady resigned.

As for South Carolina, head coach Dave Odom will get to coach at least another game. The Gamecocks will get top-seeded Tennessee tomorrow in the first game of the second round. Carolina will have to play a lot better than they did today though, as they were outrebounded 42-27. They also went 50 percent from the foul strip, making 8 of 16.

Coming up next, Auburn versus Vanderbilt!
This game should be over after the first half, so I should be able to bring you scores and insights from around the nation before long.

The Vanderbilt fans are all here today, as they are loaded into their two assigned sections. The Auburn fans, however, are scarce. It's a good thing, too. Because in about 8 minutes they won't have much to cheer about.

Well there's five minutes left til tip-off and I'm off to get some more free food and drink.
Checkin for a halftime update and scores from around the country in an hour.

Halftime Update- South Carolina 37, LSU 34

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament

A pretty good game here at the Georgia Dome, South Carolina is up by three at the break.
The only reason LSU is in this game right now is their 19-12 rebounding margin over the Gamecocks. The Tigers have used a nice 13-6 run to end the second half to cut the Carolina lead from ten to three in the last five minutes.
On a fan observation note...
I could listen to LSU's band all day long. I absolutely love the songs that they play, from Hey Fightin' Tigers to their personalized Tiger Rag, its hard not to get pumped up for basketball when you hear those first four notes- daaaah daah daah dah! Also, I'm impressed with Carolina's fans, nearly doubling LSU's fans here for the first game.

Now to scores from around the nation...

Georgetown has beaten Villanova, 82-63. This is going to make things interesting for Villanova, as they are squarely on the bubble right now. This loss definitely drops them in the bubble list, but by how much?

Florida State has beaten Wake Forest in the first round of the ACC Tourney, 70-60. This move makes the Seminoles a definite bubble team as of now... Next up for FSU- #1 North Carolina.

Uab is winning against Tulsa as of now 45-44 with 11 minutes left. UAB is a long shot to make the NCAA Tournament, but a win today puts them in the C-USA semifinals against Houston, another Conference USA bubble team.

A game that I have drawn interest in- Oklahoma State and Texas Tech are tied at 65 with 4 minutes left. Though both teams are out of the radar, I will have to put the winner on the new bubble list, as they will be 17-14, 8-9 in the Big XII after the win. The winner also gets Texas in the next round.

One last game of interest, Xavier has beaten bubble-team Dayton 74-65. The win keeps the Musketeers as a solid 3 seed for the NCAA Tournament, while the loss for Dayton is going to cost the Fliers. Does any bubble team want to be in the NCAA Tournament?!?!

Well, the LSU band is at it again, this time playing Livin' on a Prayer, by Bon Jovi. I am falling in love with their band, and their fans as well as they have gotten very into this game as the Tigers lead South Carolina 42-41 at the 16 minute timeout.

I'll be back after the game with a post game wrap up, a preview for Vanderbilt-Auburn, and more scores.

Game ONE- LSU vs. South Carolina

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament


Hello and good afternoon everyone!
I'm back at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta for the first day of the 2008 SEC Basketball Tournament.
Unfortunately, they did not have my credential listed on the press row, however I have found a perfect spot in the press box. I've found that watching the game from an above angle gives a lot better feel to how the plays develop on the court. The food is great and the drinks are unlimited.

Well, game one has started and South Carolina is up on top of the Tigers 11-6
Back at halftime for an update on the game as well as scores from around the country affecting the NCAA Tournament!

Wednesday Night's NCAA Tournament Outlook

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament
Well after a long day of watching, listening, and writing about basketball, I'm back at the hotel... watching, listening, and writing about more basketball. Only this time, it's not just about the SEC. I have put together my first NCAA Tournament projections of the week using a simple S-Curve. The S-Curve is a basic list of the NCAA Teams in order of how they will be seeded in the tournament. Using the S-Curve, we can get a better feel for what seed each team will get.
Listed below is each team, their S-Curve number, their probable NCAA Tournament seed, their record, their RPI, and their next opponent.
Note: All records and RPI are through Wednesday's games.
Also, this list does NOT include teams on the BUBBLE. I will keep up with the Bubble Project in a different blog and once teams work themselves into my field of 65, they will be listed on the list.

Seed--S-Curve--Team----------Record---RPI----Next Game

--1------1------North Carolina---29-2------2----FSU-WF winner
--1------2------Memphis--------30-1------3----Tulane
--1------3------Tennessee------27-3------1-----LSU-USC winner
--1------4------UCLA-----------27-3------6----California

--2------5------Kansas---------27-3------8-----Neb-MO winner
--2------6------Texas----------25-5------5------TT-OSU winner
--2------7------Duke-----------26-4------4------GT-UVA winner
--2------8------Georgetown----25-4------7------Villanova

--3------9------Wisconsin------26-4-----13-----Iowa-Mich winner
--3------10-----Xavier---------26-5------9-------Dayton
--3------11-----Louisville-------24-7-----11------Pittsburgh
--3------12-----Stanford-------24-6-----18-----Arizona

--4------13-----Connecticut----24-7----14-----West Virginia
--4------14-----Notre Dame----24-6----19------Marquette
--4------15-----Drake----------26-4----12------won MVC
--4------16-----Vanderbilt------25-6----10------Auburn

Seed--S-Curve--Team----------Record---RPI-----Next Game
--5------17-----Purdue---------24-7----36----Penn-Ill winner
--5------18-----Butler----------29-3----16-----won Horizon
--5------19-----Indiana---------25-6----17-----Minn-NW winner
--5------20-----Michigan State--24-7----15------Ohio State

--6------21-----Wash State-----23-7----20------Oregon
--6------22-----BYU------------25-6----22------Colorado State
--6------23-----Marquette------22-8----23-------Notre Dame
--6------24-----Clemson--------21-8----21--------MD-BC winner

--7------25-----USC-----------20-10----31-------Arizona State
--7------26-----Miss State-----21-9-----38-------Fla-Ala winner
--7------27-----Gonzaga-------25-7-----30-------lost WCC
--7------28-----Pittsburgh-----22-9-----24------Louisville

--8------29-----Oklahoma-----21-10----25-------Bay-Col winner
--8------30-----Miami (FL)----20-9------27-------N.C. State
--8------31-----West Virginia--21-9-----32-------Connecticut
--8------32-----Baylor---------20-9-----34-----Colorado

Seed--S-Curve--Team----------Record---RPI---Next Game
--9------33-----St. Mary's-----24-6-----37-----lost WCC
--9------34-----Kansas State--19-10----45------TAM-ISU winner
--9------35-----Arkansas------20-10----42-------Van-Aub winner
--9------36-----UNLV----------22-7-----28------TCU

--10-----37-----Texas A&M----21-9-----47-----Iowa State
--10-----38-----Kentucky------18-11----49-----Miss-UGA winner
--10-----39-----Kent State-----25-6----26-----Toledo
--10-----40-----Davidson------25-6-----40-----won Southern

--11-----41-----South Alabama--24-6----39------lost Sun Belt
--11-----42-----Massachusetts--21-9----41------Charlotte
--11-----43-----Arizona---------19-13---29-----Stanford
--11-----44-----Illinois State----23-9----35-----lost MVC

--12-----45-----New Mexico----24-7----52------Utah
--12-----46-----Ohio State-----19-12---48-------Michigan State
--12-----47-----Villanova-------19-11---57-------Georgetown
--12-----48-----West Kentucky--25-6---43------won Sun Belt

That's it for today folks!
Join me bright and early for tomorrow where I'll continue to keep you up-to-date on the S-Curve, Bubble Teams, scores from around the nation, and my insights on the 2008 SEC Tournament.

Quick Look at the Bubble

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament

While I've got some free time, I thought I could update you real quick on the Bubble Picture as of right now. Here's the teams I KNOW will be in, even if they lose in the first round of their conference tournament.

ACC- Duke, North Carolina, Clemson, Miami
Big Ten- Indiana, Michigan State, Purdue, Wisconsin
Big 12- Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Baylor, Kansas State, Texas A&M
Big East- Georgetown, Louisville, Connecticut, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, West Virginia
Pac 10- UCLA, Stanford, Washington State, USC
SEC- Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Kentucky
Non BCS- BYU, Memphis, Xavier, St. Mary's, Gonzaga

Additionally, twelve mid-majors have claimed their league's automatic bids:
Drake, Cornell, Winthrop, Austin Peay, Belmont, George Mason, Siena, Davidson, San Diego, Western Kentucky, Oral Roberts, Butler

This means there are 47 teams that will be in the tournament already.
There are also 19 more automatic bids to hand out.
Out of those 19, 9 of them look to be taken by teams that are already in the tournament (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, Pac 10, SEC, Atlantic 10, Mountain West, and Conference USA).
This means we will only add ten to 47 to give us 57 teams IN the tournament, leaving the magic number at 8 teams from the bubble that we can put in.

On the Bubble:
UNLV
Arizona State
Villanova
Arizona
South Alabama
Massachusettes
Illinois State
Ohio State
Oregon
New Mexico
VCU
Mississippi
Dayton
St. Josephs
UAB
Virginia Tech
Temple
Maryland
Florida
Syracuse

These teams are in order of their likelihood of making the NCAA Tournament.
As conference tournaments play on, I will continue to update this list.

As I type, Villanova-Syracuse goes final, with Villanova winning by double digits.
This moves Villanova virtually in and Syracuse definitely out.

What's to come

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament

Here are the tournament pairings...

FIRST ROUND
Thursday, March 13

Game 1
South Carolina (E5) vs. LSU (W4)
1:00 p.m. (ET) on Raycom Sports

Game 2
Auburn (W6) vs. Vanderbilt (E3)
3:15 p.m. (ET) on Raycom Sports


Game 3
Alabama (W5) vs. Florida (E4)
7:30 p.m. (ET) on Raycom Sports

Game 4
Georgia (E6) vs. Ole Miss (W3)
9:45 p.m. (ET) on Raycom Sports


SECOND ROUND
Friday, March 14

Game 5
Tennessee (E1) vs. South Carolina-LSU winner
1:00 p.m. (ET) on Raycom Sports

Game 6
Arkansas (W2) vs. Auburn-Vanderbilt winner
3:15 p.m. (ET) on Raycom Sports

Game 7
Mississippi State (W1) vs. Alabama-Florida winner
7:30 p.m. (ET) on Raycom Sports

Game 8
Kentucky (E2) vs. Georgia-Ole Miss winner
9:45 p.m. (ET) on Raycom Sports


SEMIFINALS
Saturday, March 15

Game 9
Tenn-USC-LSU winner vs. Ark-Aub-Vandy winner
1:00 p.m. (ET) on Raycom Sports

Game 10
MSU-Ala-Fla winner vs. Kent-UGA-Miss winner
3:15 p.m. (ET) on Raycom Sports


CHAMPIONSHIP
Sunday, March 16

Game 11
Tenn-USC-LSU-Ark-Aub-Vandy winner vs. MSU-Ala-Fla-Kent-UGA-Miss winner
1:00 p.m. (ET) on Raycom Sports



My Tournament Predictions
In the first round I only expect there to be one "upset" and that is the first game being played.
I like South Carolina to beat LSU, Vanderbilt to double Auburn's score (if not triple it), Florida to just squeak by Alabama, and Ole Miss to cruise past Georgia.
In the second round, I again am only going with one "upset".
I like top-seeded Tennessee to beat South Carolina, Arkansas to get by Vanderbilt in the final seconds, Mississippi State to take down Florida, and Ole Miss to upset Kentucky in the final game of the day.
In the semifinals, I can't expect anything out-of-the-ordinary happening.
I would place my money on Tennessee getting by Arkansas, and Mississippi State beating Ole Miss, leaving us with the top two seeds left in the Finals.
In the championship game, I expect the volunteers from Tennessee to beat the Mississippi State bulldogs and claim a one seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Well, lunch is starting and Dave Odom and the Gamecocks are fixing to have their press conference so I'm out for now.

Getting Started

> Live on-location in Atlanta, GA at the SEC Tournament


Good morning everyone and greetings from the Georgia Dome!
After a six hour car ride last night and a thirty minute drive to the Dome this morning, I have finally made it. After I arrived I was pretty lost (being inside a football stadium and all), but I have found the media room along with the press conference location and am set to deliver everything you need to know about the twelve SouthEastern Conference schools all day. From now until seven o clock tonight (ET), the eight SEC teams playing in tomorrow's opening round will be having an hour long practice along with a thirty minute interview each. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show as I'll be here from now until Sunday giving you every insight needed on the 2008 SEC Tournament.

Game 11 Final: Championship - George Mason 68 - William & Mary 59

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Well it will be interesting to see how many people pencil George Mason into their Final Four this time around. The Patriots punched their ticket with a 68-59 win over William & Mary. Tribe senior Liamis Kisielius was clearly upset about the loss, almost on the verge on tears in the post game press conference.

For Mason it was the same thing we’ve come to expect from them in the Jim Larannage era: great defense. The Patriots held W&M to just 38% shooting on the game, while shooting 49% from the field themselves. Will Thomas had a big game, scoring 18 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, while Folarin Campbell posted 20 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in taking home tournament MVP honors.

After the press conference Larannage grabbed Thomas around the shoulders and very excitedly said “Now we don’t have to wait a whole week,” in regards to their automatic bid, as opposed to an at-large bid in 2006.

Tribe Coach Tony Shaver was optimistic in defeat saying that this weekend was huge for his program and that he was looking forward to the future. He also of course had kind words to say about his seniors, particularly Kisielius who had a fantastic 22-point performance.

The All-Tournament team was announced prior to the press conference with Kisielius and Thomas both making it. Eric Maynor of VCU was voted to the team and David Schneider and Danny Sumner joined teammate Kisielius as well on the team.

In all it was a fantastic weekend of basketball and a great wrap up to the 2007-08 CAA season. I was lucky enough to take in all 11 games from right on the floor and document it as best I could for you the readers. I hope you all enjoyed reading this blog as much as I enjoyed writing it. So for the last time I’m signing off from the Richmond Coliseum, George Mason is going back to the Big Dance!

Game 11: Championship - William & Mary vs. George Mason - Second Half Update

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

This was definitely not how William & Mary wanted the half to start. George Mason opened up the second half by going on a 9-0 run to build their lead to 10. The Tribe have done what they can to stay in this one, but Kisielius has cooled off tremendously, only scoring four points in the half so far.

As it stands, Mason leads 48-37 with 10:21 to play. The interior presence of Will Thomas and Chris Fleming are slowing becoming too much for the William & Mary frontcourt to deal with. GMU is just too big and athletic to be completely shut down on the glass. Also, Mason has started to heat up a little bit more from the outside, with Folarin Campbell having hit a nice three pointer just a few moments ago.

The official time out is over and the Tribe looked fired up making their way back onto the floor and their fans are getting loud to motivate them. I’ll be back when this one is over and after the press conferences.

Game 11: Championship - William & Mary vs. George Mason - Halftime Update

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Laimis Kisielius wants to play in an NCAA Tournament game…badly. The senior forward put together probably the best half of basketball I’ve seen this weekend, netting 15 points, including three bombs from beyond the arc and a buzzer beating mid-range jumper to end the half. As I expected might be the case, William & Mary is hanging tough and won’t leave George Mason alone. At the break its 27-26 with the Patriots holding the slight advantage.

Statistically Mason is shooting much higher from the field (48% to 37%), aside from that things have been fairly even. There is little to no disparity in rebounds or turnovers, the only real difference and the factor keeping the Tribe in this one is three-point shooting. W&M hit 4 in the first half while Mason only connected from beyond the arc once.

Will Thomas had a good first half as well recording 6 points and 6 rebounds; Mason will need him to continue to be effective.

The half is over and we’re just about ready to start things up again. Twenty minutes stand between one of these teams and an NCAA Tournament bid and this crowd is rocking. I’ll check back later in the half!

Game 11: Championship - William & Mary vs. George Mason - First Half Update

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Interesting fact: William & Mary is just one of five D-1 basketball teams to have been in existence for at least 50 years and never have appeared in the NCAA Tournament.

In the first four minutes or so William & Mary very much looked like a team playing in its first ever CAA Championship as they had several poor positions, including a shot clock violation. Mason on the other hand looked quite comfortable in the early going, sticking with what has been working, Will Thomas and Louis Birdsong. The two combined for the Patriot’s first eight points.

As it stands right now though Mason leads 19-11 at the 7:55 mark. William & Mary has been hoisting up a lot of three’s since they can’t really compete with the Patriot’s inside. Laimis Kisielius is almost single handedly keeping his team in the game, already with seven points, including a nice three pointer right in front of me. The Tribe has been bailed out big time by their scrappy play, specifically drawing two charges that nullified GMU baskets. They need to find an answer inside for Thomas though, who now is up to six points.

On another note, there are plenty of famous faces in the building, including renowned author John Feistein. Writer Michael Litos is also in the building. Litos is known for his book Cinderella: Inside the Rise of Mid-Major College Basketball a book that chronicled the 2006 CAA season when George Mason made its historic Final Four run.

Right before tip off another writer turned to me and said, “William & Mary is like the Giants; they are major underdogs and they have to beat the Patriots.” We’ll see if he’s right. See you all at halftime!

Game 11: Championship - William & Mary vs. George Mason

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament
Welcome to Championship Monday boys and girls! After ten games in three days here we are: 3rd-seeded George Mason and 5th-seeded William & Mary ready to duke it out for the right to play in the NCAA Tournament. There will be no at-large bid for either of these teams, its do or die tonight.

ESPN is in the house with Brad Nessler and Jimmy Dykes on the call for the 7 o’clock tip off. No surprise there is at least twice the number of media outlets here tonight than there was all weekend, so here’s a pat on the back for all of us who have been here for the entire tournament. Naturally with this being the night of the championship and with so many national outlets being here, the food is top notch, so my theory held true for the entirety of the tournament. Tonight’s menu: grilled chicken, baked potato wedges, mixed vegetables and peach cobbler.

The George Mason band has been here since 5:30 practicing and preparing for tonight. Their director is in his best attire for tonight naturally: a green suit with yellow pinstripes, yellow shirt and a green tie. His green scepter is of course by his side. I’m happy that these guys are back on my side of the floor tonight, now I get a close up look at all the action. Nessler and Dykes have been getting into the music too, I definitely saw Jimmy bobbing his head with the beat a couple of times while going through game notes near mid-court.

As for the game, I’m still not really sure what to think. George Mason has won 10 of the last 11 meetings between the two teams and is clearly the more physically talented team. Will Thomas is trying to become just the fifth player in school history to average a double-double for the season. Assuming he doesn’t lay a goose egg in the rebounds column his 10.4 average coming into tonight should stay intact.

The Patriots were in this game last season but lost to VCU; they last won it back in 2001. Mason has had a bumpy history in the CAA title game, just 3-5 all-time, but they are in great position to improve on that tonight. The Patriots on the season are ahead of the Tribe in essentially every statistical category; most importantly in my opinion will be rebounds. GMU only averages three more rebounds per game than William & Mary, but clearly the Patriots are a more physical team inside.

With all that said, the Tribe has improved in many aspects during this past weekend. The team is shooting a full three points higher from the field and is turning the ball over less frequently. Interestingly though, they are actually doing a worse job of rebounding the ball, something I think that can be attributed to less shots being taken since they have done a good job of slowing down the pace of play. That will be the key tonight; if W&M tries to run with George Mason they are in trouble, they simply can’t keep up. I will say it right now though, if the Tribe slows this one down and its close once again down the stretch, how can you not give them the edge? They have won all three games in this tournament in the final ten seconds, with a different player hitting the game winner each time.

This place is slowly filling up and you can already feel the electricity in the building as the Mason band blares the theme from “Top Gun.” We are in for what should be a fantastic closing chapter to the 2007-08 CAA season. Check back later in the first half for some updates!

Day 3 Thoughts

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Hey everyone, welcome back, time for my thoughts on today’s action. I’m back at my hotel, well fed, relaxing, and watching the WCC semifinals all night on ESPN. Why you ask? Because there is no such thing as too much college basketball, especially at this time of year. Anyway, onto the awards…

Player of the Day: Liamis Kisielius – W&M – 23 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists
This makes two great games in a row for the senior in helping the Tribe advance to their first ever CAA Championship Game. The swingman did it all today: knocking down shots from deep (3-5 from beyond the arc), finishing inside, and distributing to his teammates. Coach Tony Shaver said that the final three weeks of the season had been down times for Kisielius on the court, well he sure picked a heck of a time to pick it up.

Team of the Day: William & Mary
This is pretty much going to be the theme of tonight’s awards. How can it not be the Tribe? They were overwhelming underdogs in their match up with top seeded VCU, but they simply shook off the pressure and continued to play scrappy basketball. The more I watch this team the harder it is to not root for them, they are just so hard nosed and have that never say die attitude that makes you love them.

Game of the Day: VCU vs. William & Mary
Again, just to reiterate what I said before. This is a game the Tribe were not only not supposed to win, but not even supposed to be in. They are as much of a Cinderella as a 5 seed can be and I love it.

Play of the Day: Liamis Kisielius’s game winner
So for the third straight day William & Mary hit a game winning shot with less than 10 seconds on the clock, and for the third straight day it was a different player. Kisielius hit a turn around jumper as the shot clock expired and the game clock hit 3 seconds. It was a hard nosed tough finish that has become the norm for this Tribe team.

Quote of the Day: William & Mary Coach Tony Shaver
No actual quote today, more of an image. Towards the end of his post game press conference today, Shaver paused while answering a question about his team’s win and nearly broke down. Though he was able to hold back the tears, it was clear just how much making this championship game meant to Shaver and all of the hard work he has put into this basketball team.

Fans of the Day: VCU
Even though they lost, the VCU faithful were ready for today’s game. They were loud, they were proud and they got to the arena early! As I mentioned this morning, there was a line of yellow clad Rams fans a couple of blocks long by the time I showed up at the Richmond Coliseum this afternoon nearly two hours before tip off. So while they wont get to revel in a CAA Championship, maybe they’ll get to see their beloved VCU squad earn an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament.

That’s all for tonight, remember to check back tomorrow night for my live blog from the CAA Championship game between William & Mary and George Mason!

Game 10 Final: Semifinals - George Mason 53 - UNC Wilmington 41

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Well the CAA Tournament Final is set and there is going to be plenty of green and yellow in the building tomorrow. Despite hitting just four field goals in the second half George Mason did enough defensively to come away with the win. The Patriots held UNC Wilmington to just 28.6% shooting from the field, including a paltry 4-23 from beyond the arc.

Folarin Campbell led the way with a team high 15 points, doing the majority of his damage at the charity stripe where he was a solid 9-14. Louis Birdsong continued his strong play in the tournament, scoring 10 points on 5-7 shooting and Will Thomas cleaned up on the glass with 11 rebounds.

Vladimir Kuljanin played a great game inside for UNCW recording a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds but it wasn’t enough. A day after running Delaware out of the building, the Seahawks had all types of struggles with the Mason defense.

Well day 3 is all done here at the Richmond Coliseum. I’m going to head out for some dinner then get back to my hotel to catch the two WCC semifinal games tonight. As always be sure to check back later tonight for my final thoughts and awards for the day!

Game 10: Semifinals - UNC Wilmington vs. George Mason - Second Half Update

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Folarin Campbell is having a great second half and his play has helped push George Mason to 44-35 lead with 5:52 remaining in this one. Campbell just went 2-2 at the free throw line, following a Louis Birdsong jumper and that is where we stand right now.

Things are getting scrappy underneath, and despite great offensive rebounding by Kuljanin, the Seahawks continue to have trouble combating the athleticism of the Patriots. We’ll have to see what Coach Benny Moss can cook up for his team in the home stretch of this one.

I’ll be back after the game and the press conference!

Game 10: Semifinals - UNC Wilmington vs. George Mason - Halftime Update

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Despite this being a match up of two very good teams in a conference tournament semifinal game, that was a fairly uneventful first half. Mason leads it 31-25 at the break. Dre Smith and Louis Birdsong each have 8 points to lead the Patriots, while Will Thomas has been his usual tough self dropping in 5 and hauling down 6 rebounds.

It was another balanced scoring attack for the Seahawks, not that I would expect anything else. T.J. Carter has stayed out of foul trouble today and leads all scorers with 9; I’ve been impressed with his ability to elevate around the rim in traffic. Daniel Fountain and Kuljanin each netted 6, Fountain knocking down a pair of long threes.

Despite the lead, Patriot’s coach Jim Larannaga can’t be too happy right now. Despite out rebounding UNC Wilmington 18-12 and out shooting them 53.8% to 36%, they only have a 6 point lead going into the locker room. Mason’s defense has been doing a good job, but they need to worry if Wilmington steps up their shooting in the second half.

On another note, the George Mason dance team just finished up their routine and I have to say I was very impressed. I’m no expert when it comes to choreography, but I thought it was the best routine of the weekend so far.

Ok sports fans, five minutes to go until the second half and both squads still haven’t made their way out onto the floor yet. I’ll be back midway through the second half, until then, pull up a chair and get comfortable!

Game 10: Semifinals - UNC Wilmington vs. George Mason - First Half Update

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

This game started very back and forth with both teams pretty much even, after a Dre Smith three pointer and a nice put back by Will Thomas, George Mason has taken a hold of the momentum and currently holds a 22-16 lead at the 6:50 mark.

Not surprising that Kuljanin and T.J. Carter have gotten it going early for the Seahawks. Kuljanin and Hendley have tried running the hi-low game that they had so much success with yesterday. So far it’s only been successful one time, resulting in an easy lay up for Kuljanin.

It’s fun to see the two contrasting styles of play, Mason clearly wants to get out and run, whereas the Seahawks have no qualms about working the ball around in the half court set.

The George Mason pep band is back at it again and gets major points from me for their rendition of “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire. The Patriot fans have also started to wake up a little bit, they seemed groggy for the first few minutes, but now I think they realize they’re at a semifinal game.

Game 10: Semifinals - UNC Wilmington vs. George Mason

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Well we have one half of tomorrow’s championship game all set, time for the second piece to be placed. Wilmington and Mason is going to be one heck of a game. Good team basketball vs. all out athleticism. Who’s going to come out on top? Well last time out on January 26th it was UNCW escaping with a 61-58 win over the Patriots. GMU owns the all-time series in this one though 31-29.

I’m really looking forward to seeing the battle inside between Will Thomas and Vladimir Kuljanin. The Seahawks big man certainly has the size advantage, but Thomas is a better athlete and I think has a bigger mean streak in him.

The real key for Mason is going to be the ability to match up with the plethora of scorers that Wilmington brings to the floor. Remember five different players were in double figures yesterday as the Seahawks blew out Delaware. Mason has the experience though, appearing in their third straight CAA semifinals.

The starting lineups have just been announced so I’m going to settle in for the game and check back here later in the first half.

Game 9 Finals: Semifinals - William & Mary 56 - VCU 54

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Holy cow its pandemonium in Richmond! At this point its getting to be just a bit ridiculous but the Green Machine did it again as William & Mary advanced to the championship game, snapping a 12 game losing streak to VCU. Proud coach Tony Shaver is to my right being interviewed for W&M radio.

What an unbelievable finish. With three seconds left on the game clock and the shot clock showing zero, Laimis Kislielius’s turnaround jump shot banked in for the game winner. The final was 56-54 and the 100 or so students in the Tribe student section knocked down several barricades and stormed the court to congratulate their victorious team.

Kisielius and Danny Sumner combined for 42 of the Tribes 56 points in helping the team reach their first ever CAA Championship game tomorrow night.

Eric Maynor was brilliant in defeat for VCU, but now will have to wait along with the rest of his teammates to see if they will get an at large bid for the NCAA Tournament. The final on today’s Larry Sanders watch was 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block.

Time for a quick preview of our second semifinal game!

Drake 79, Illinois State 49

> Live on-location in St. Louis, Missouri at the MVC Tournament

Illinois State couldn't recover from a 19-0 Drake run in the first half, and the 2nd half resulted in the largest margin of victory in any MVC tournament championship ever.

Nothing seemed to work for the Redbirds. "It's the scenario you always dread where the other team plays the perfect game and you're having one of those nights," ISU coach Tim Jankovich said afterwards in the press conference. ISU couldn't defend Drake, couldn't get an open look, and when the Redbirds did get an open look, they couldn't knock down their shots. The Bulldogs started slow but eventually, Drake did a great job on the boards, shot well, defended well, and did everything it needed for a victory.

The attendance was a little more than 11,000, which is a disappointment considering last year's title game was a sellout. It's understandable though, since none of the Valley's traditional powers or any of the schools closest to St. Louis were in the game, like SIU, Creighton, Missouri State, Wichita State, etc. Even with the arena only half full, the atmosphere was electric. It seemed like Drake fans couldn't even believe their Bulldogs were having such a magical run this season. A man behind me in the stands held a sign that said "Final Four: Drake vs. Duke?" and many fans held signs with the word "Believe" on it.

Drake would have gotten an at-large had it not won today, but now the Bulldogs are officially in the field. Illinois State on the other hand has to wait it out one week to see if the tournament selection committee includes it in the field. I like the Redbirds' chances, but they are definitely not a lock by any means to get an at-large.

This week I'll be writing an article on SouthernCollegeSports.com about my experience at the MVC tourney on press row, so make sure you check out that story and the rest of the site as well.

Game 9: Semifinals - VCU vs. William & Mary - Second Half Update

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

So apparently someone didn’t tell William & Mary this wasn’t a game they were supposed to be in. Yet here they are up two on #1 seed VCU with 7:48 to go. The toughness of the Tribe continues to impress me. Danny Sumner has been playing fantastic basketball and is sitting on 16 points right now and Laimis Kisielius has added 15.

Eric Maynor is doing all he can to keep the Rams in this one, having scored eight points this half, but the Tribe just wont relent. Remember what I said in the preview, if this one stays close down the stretch, I like W&M because they have dealt with this twice already this tournament.

Short and sweet and back to the game!

Game 9: Semifinals - VCU vs. William & Mary - Halftime Update

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Well the scores have changed, but the difference has not, VCU leads it 28-22 at the half. This has to be frustrating for the Rams, every time they come up with a big play William & Mary comes right back. David Schneider hit a particularly nice pull up three with about two minutes to go; unfortunately that was his only field goal of the half.

Jamal Shuler leads the Rams right now with seven points on 2-5 shooting. He was fouled driving to the basket with .7 seconds to go in the half and connected on both free throws to give VCU a little bit of a boost going into the locker room. Maynor hasn’t been outstanding but has been efficient; he’s posted 5 points and 3 assists while only turning the ball over once. In all his decision making has been fantastic. The Larry Sanders watch at the half stands at 4 points, 3 rebounds and 1 block in 10 minutes of playing time. While the numbers may not look like anything special, his presence has been. Just by trailing a Tribe fast break late in the half he cause a turnover because W&M was worried about a blocked shot.

The Tribe has gotten the most production out of their two most versatile players thus far. Laimis Kisielius is playing well for the second straight day with 8 points to lead all scorers right now. Sophomore swing man Danny Sumner (who is going to be a good player in this league next year) hit a couple of threes giving him 6 points.

The Tribe fans seem to have simmered down slightly as the number of calls going against their team decreased in the waning minutes of the half, but they are still just as vocal.

It’s going to be a great second half and we’re just five minutes away from the start of it. Both teams are still in their respective locker rooms but I anticipate them being out any second now. Check back in a little bit for some second half thoughts!

Game 9: Semifinals - VCU vs. William & Mary - First Half Update

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

So far this game has lived up to my expectations. At the 7:45 mark VCU leads it 19-13, but William & Mary is keeping the pressure on. At this point the Ram’s athleticism is just overmatching the Tribe. VCU’s guards have been quicker to lose balls, and they have had several nice offensive rebounds.

Eric Maynor is playing his usual game, hitting a nice pull up jumper in transition and showing stellar court vision as always. The Larry Sanders watch currently stands at one block, a couple of rebounds and one monster jam over Peter Stein that came with a foul as well. Sanders would miss the free throw. Jamal Shuler looks like he found his shooting stroke again too; he hit a nice corner three pointer and a long two.

The arena is as packed as I have seen it this weekend with both teams having a large support group. The William & Mary fans have definitely been more belligerent to the officials at this point with more foul calls going against the Tribe. One red headed, bearded Tribe supporter in particular has already practically blown out his vocal cords screaming more profanities than I’ve heard since the last time I watched “The Departed”. He actually just referred to a call as “unconstitutional”, this guy is a champ.

Well back to the game, I’ll see you all at the half.

Game 9: Semifinals - VCU vs. William & Mary

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

My theory about weekend tournaments and food continues. Only one meal today since we’re playing just two games, but what a meal. Pulled pork, mac and cheese and of course fudge brownies to top it all off; not too shabby.
Also, I’ve noticed that coming to the arena each day with the same group of people, going through the same motions; it feels a lot like coming into the office. It’s never dull like a 9 to 5 can tend to be, but its got the same comfortable familiarity. Anyway, onto the preview.

In theory VCU shouldn’t struggle too much in this game with William & Mary since they have a strong advantage inside. However, Old Dominion had this same advantage and the Tribe was still able to outwork them and pull out the win. The Rams will really just need to step up their offensive production today. Defensively they did just fine in slowing down Towson, but they had trouble hitting their shots all day. Eric Maynor and Larry Sanders (my new favorite player) had good games, but Jamal Shuler was non-existent and that will have to change.

For the Tribe it’s really been scoring by committee. In each of their two games this weekend different players have stepped up at different times. On Friday it was David Schneider, yesterday it was Nathan Mann and athletic swing man Danny Sumner. Who will step up today? Regardless, if this winds up being a close game down the stretch, Coach Tony Shaver will have to feel confident seeing as how his squad has pulled out two close ones in two days.

VCU has won the last 12 meetings between the two clubs and holds a 29-10 all-time series lead. The last time the two clubs met in the postseason, the Rams knocked off W&M 62-59 in the opening round of the 2006 CAA Tournament. The Tribe will be looking for their first ever semifinal win in this tournament.

The fans are starting to file in and no surprise but there is plenty of yellow already with the Rams having the home support. We’re 12 minutes away from the start of our first semifinal and another round of the Larry Sanders watch!

Drake leads ISU 40-19 at half

> Live on-location in St. Louis, Missouri at the MVC Tournament

Illinois State got the start it wanted, dominating defensively and efficiently scoring on the offensive end. Unfortunately, after a 9-4 start, everything completely fell apart.

Drake's coach Keno Davis called a timeout down 9-4 early, and after the two battled back and forth for an 18-17 score, Drake went on a complete tear.

I mean a COMPLETE tear. A 19-0 run gave the Buldogs a 37-17 lead, and heading into the half they now lead 40-19.

Drake could not penetrate ISU's defense at all early on, but Adam Emmenecker was able to beat his man off the dribble repeatedly and find teammates on the perimeter. Drake wasn't shooting threes early, and weren't playing their game offensively, but the Bulldogs then began to heat up. On the flip side, Illinois State went completely cold, every call seemed to go against it, and the Redbirds now find themselves in a huge hole at halftime.

I'll try to get another blog in after the game but I'll most likely be heading to press conferences and locker rooms. Check back in later today for my analysis of the entire game!

Day 3 Morning Thoughts

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Well as of 1:20 PM this afternoon I can safely say that I am the first member of the non-broadcast media to be here at the arena. Granted most writers wouldn’t show up an hour and forty minutes before tip-off of today’s games, but I’m proud of the fact nonetheless. The radio and TV guys are here setting up; the semi-finals will be on CN8 in this area, before ESPN swoops in for the championship game tomorrow night.
I have to say, despite setting the clocks ahead an hour last night I am well rested thanks to the later start of today’s action. I slept until 11:45; I can’t remember the last time I was able to do that. After a quick shower, I grabbed a sausage and egg biscuit sandwich at the gas station across the street so I could break my five dollar bill for the bus. As far as gas station food goes, this wasn’t too bad, at least enough to hold me over until the media buffet is laid out shortly.
I struck up a few more conversations on the bus today regarding the tournament. This little media credential around my neck has made me more new friends in the last 72 hours…I really believe that sports it the worlds greatest ice breaker. It doesn’t matter how different two people may be, bring up hoops or football or whatever, and chances are the individuals will fall right into step with a friendly exchange of ideas.
The VCU fans continue to impress me with their love for the Rams. Granted this tournament is being held in VCU’s backyard, but there was a line of fans dressed in yellow a couple of blocks long by the time I got off my bus around 1 today. I really hope that my large friend in horns who was here for the entirety of yesterday’s action is back today. Something tells me he was probably the first in line this morning.
Well its about 90 minutes until tip off of the first semi-final game between the top seeded “home” team, the VCU Rams and the comeback kids in green, the William & Mary Tribe. I’ll be back in about an hour or so with a preview for the game.

MVC Championship Preview

> Live on-location in St. Louis, Missouri at the MVC Tournament

More than three hours before game time, I'm getting the feeling today's game may be an instant classic. Illinois State's suffocating defense has been its strength all season, and the Redbirds will attempt to defend Drake's barrage of three-pointers. ISU relies heavily on Osiris Eldridge for offense, and his production hasn't disappointed this season. Meanwhile, four Drake players average double figures in scoring, and the Bulldogs will shoot the ball from the perimeter all day long. We'll see if Drake can heat up from outside today against a tough ISU defense, but no matter what, the Bulldogs will continue to shoot.

Drake obviously is a lock for the NCAA tournament, and I think ISU is in great shape after winning two games already in the MVC tournament.

Day 2 Thoughts

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

My trip back to my hotel was much less eventful than last nights, which is a good thing in this case. I’ve been giving my fingers a rest for just a few minutes (the final blogging tally today was ten hours and sixteen minutes), and I’m currently wolfing down some chips while taking in the second half of Arizona vs. Oregon (thank you FSN for your continual coverage of late night Pac-10 basketball).
I said already a dozen times at least, today was a great day of hoops. With the top four seeds in action the level of play increased (although it didn’t always reflect it in the scores) and the fans were much more numerous and enthusiastic. In all almost everything followed suit with VCU, UNC-Wilmington and George Mason all advancing. William & Mary had to crash the part and knock off Old Dominion, but as a 5 seed we can give them a break, I mean, they have been playing the most exciting games so far. Without further ado though, here are my awards for day 2.

Player of the Day – Larry Sanders – VCU: 14 points, 15 rebounds, 4 blocks
Sure I have an extreme bias here because he is my favorite CAA player, but can you really argue with me on this one? The kid played a major role in his team’s win, set a career high in rebounds, and was the only player today to have the crowd chanting his name. Sanders has future superstar written all over him, he just needs time to develop and really needs to bulk up. In all though, no one had more exciting plays today. A couple of blocked shots pinned off the backboard, and three or four tremendous dunks that almost blew the roof off the Coliseum. You want to fight with me on this one? Check back in two years when Sanders is a pro prospect.

Team of the Day – UNC-Wilmington
Wow. These guys can put some points on the board. The Seahawks were the most balanced team of the day, had five players reach double figures in scoring, and just ran Delaware right out of the building. Their match up with George Mason tomorrow is going to be very, very interesting to watch.

Game of the Day – Old Dominion vs. William & Mary
Yes the Tribe did it again. This game was back and forth the whole way; the crowd was very into it with both teams turning up a good support group, and it had a last second finish. It wasn’t David Schneider bringing it home for W&M this time though, it was senior guard Nathan Mann pulling up from beyond the arc to hit a pretty three-pointer right in front of me with a hand in his face.

Play of the Day – Mann’s winner

Quote of the Day – VCU Coach Anthony Grant
“This is right, right?” (checking stat sheet) “We did win? Ok just checking” – in response to several questions regarding VCU’s early struggles against Towson

Fans of the Day – George Mason
This is due mainly to their pep band who I continue to be amazed by; Bon Jovi, guitar solos, scepters, they have it all. At the same time though their student section is fantastic. During their game tonight with the Northeastern Huskies, every time the Huskies cheerleaders ran onto the court the Mason students would chant “mush”. I love it. Also an honorable mention goes out to Delaware because their pep band did a great rendition of Kansas’s “Carry on my Wayward Son”, so kudos to you Fighting Blue Hens.

Alright folks that’s all for tonight. I’ll be back tomorrow around 3 PM with a preview of the first semi-final game. Get some rest and remember to set those clocks ahead one hour tonight!

Game 8 Final: George Mason 63 - Northeastern 52

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Well Northeastern made their push but it was George Mason’s night as the Patriots came away with a 63-52 win. No surprise to see Will Thomas and Folarin Campbell combine for 35 of the teams points. Congratulations also need to be extended as both players surpassed 1,500 career points in tonight’s win.

Defensively GMU was just too tough for the Huskies tonight, although they did allow a tremendous number of trips to the free throw line, something Coach Jim Larranaga said they will have to work on in their semi-final game tomorrow.

I’m going to keep this post short because I am now in my 11th hour and my hands need a break, but also I’ll have more in my thoughts of the day segment when I return to the hotel later.

So it was another long day at the Richmond Coliseum, but I’m signing off for now, check back for more news and notes later tonight!

Game 8: George Mason vs. Northeastern - Second Half Update

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Mason looked like they were set to finish this one off early in the second half, but Northwestern just won’t go away. The foul calls have picked up a lot so the pace has slowed tremendously; this has favored the Huskies who clearly aren’t as athletic as the Patriots. What that leaves us with though is much more of a dog fight than I anticipated, and I think many of the GMU fans anticipated as well.

Northeastern has really stepped up their defensive pressure, giving Mason’s perimeter players a good amount of trouble, and forcing them to use a lot of shot clock. Will Thomas has still be the offensive force I expected, pouring in 16 points so far.

The Huskies are getting a lot of calls in their favor right now to keep them in the game. It isn’t to say the refs are doing a bad job, but these are tough calls, and they certainly making any friends in green or yellow tonight. As it stands though Mason is up 50-41 with 7:56 to play.

I know I keep going back to them but the Mason pep band is phenomenal! As I write this they are doing a rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” and earlier in the half they busted out Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer” and even had a guitar solo! This is certainly above and beyond anything I have seen in my experiences with pep bands. Kudos to those guys.

Alright, less than 8 to go, it’s a good one, I’ll be back after the post game press conference!

Game 8: George Mason vs. Northeastern - Halftime Update

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

As the old adage states, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. George Mason followed that in the first half by continuing to pound the ball inside where they have a clear advantage. The Patriots hold a 33-20 lead at the break with Will Thomas and Folorin Campbell combining for 15 of the team’s points. I don’t have a stat monitor in front of me, but I don’t need it to tell you that Mason has been winning the battle on the boards and that they are simply outworking the Huskies right now.

Shots have no been falling for Northeastern and most importantly Matt Janning has not gotten involved in their offense, having only three points at the moment. On a side note, I don’t really know why, but I’ve decided Janning is my second favorite player in the conference, behind of course the one and only Larry Sanders.

Oh and here’s something, I was just handed the first half stats and Mason is in fact winning the battle on the glass 18-10, so hi five to me. It also shows that the Patriots are connecting on over 50% of their shots while Northeastern is hitting less than 37%. By far the most impressive stat though: one turnover for George Mason. I don’t care if they shoot only 40% in a half, if you have one turnover, you are going to be in the ball game.

Lastly before I get back for the second half, the George Mason pep band has solidified themselves as band of the day after playing not one, but two Reel Big Fish songs during the first half (those would be “Sell Out” and “Take On Me”), so needless to say I’m a fan of the Green Machine.

Northeastern is back out on the court and here comes Mason, five minutes until the second half, I’ll check back soon!

Game 8: George Mason vs. Northeastern - First Half Update

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Maybe it’s because he looks so stoic while he’s coaching, maybe it’s because he was the central character in a book chronicling the success of the CAA, or maybe its because he is a Final Four coach, whatever it is, there is something about Jim Larranaga that separates him from every other coach at this tournament. Just watching him roam the sidelines is an experience in itself. On to the game though…

This has been a scappy one to begin with. George Mason got Will Thomas going early, dropping in five points on a drop step, a free throw and a two-handed thunder dunk. Since then it’s been pretty even between the two teams with the Patriots holding a 17-13 lead at the 7:43 mark.

Northeastern has being going inside as too, and Manny Adako has muscled his was to six points. Sharp shooter Matt Janning had a nice pull up three as well.

One more comment on the Mason pep band. Their director is wearing an all white suit, aviator sunglasses, and wielding a green scepter. Best costume ever. Period.

Also for those of you keeping track at home, I’m in my tenth hour of blogging, hope you’re enjoying!

Game 8: George Mason vs. Northeastern

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s time for the greatest show in the CAA. No I’m not talking about George Mason, I’m talking about their pep band and their fans. I don’t think I have seen anything like this before from any college fan base. These fans are absolutely nuts and they have come out in tremendous numbers. The pep band is big, loud, and has a voice altering synthesizer incorporated in their routine! Are you kidding me? This is going to be fun to watch. Now to the game.

Northeastern had an impressive win over James Madison yesterday thanks to their tremendous shooting (52% from the field). In all, five Huskies were in double figures and the game was never really in much doubt. Tonight is a whole different bowl of cherries though, and Northeastern better hope their hot shooting continues.

Everyone knows who George Mason is. They are the team that put the CAA on the map and really thrust mid-major basketball into the national spotlight. Well tonight they come in as the #3 seed in the conference but just as dangerous and the 1 or 2 seed. This a senior laden team led by beast forward Will Thomas (16 ppg, 10.4 rpg) and swingman Folarin Campbell (15.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.4 apg). This is a very smart, athletic and well coached team. Jim Larranaga will have his squad ready to go for this one.

Also worth mentioning, a large group of VCU fans are still in attendance and are of course throwing their support behind Northeastern. I don’t think a few Rams will be enough to combat this massive Mason support group that already qualifies as the loudest fan base I have heard so far this weekend and the game hasn’t even started! Alright tip-off is just about here so lets get to the game.

Game 7 Final: UNC-Wilmington 82 - Delaware 59

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

Well UNC-Wilmington left little doubt in this one, pulling away in the final frame of the game to eventually prevail 82-59. While waiting for coach Benny Moss’s post game press conference I overheard another member of the media comment and say that the Seahawks were a “offensive juggernaut”; I’d say that’s a fair assessment. Wilmington had five players break double figures, and the backcourt duo of Daniel Fountain and Chad Tomko combined for 35 points on 8-15 shooting.

As much as I could sit here and analyze tirelessly, in the end, Delaware just had no answer for the Seahawks. The pressure defense of UNCW held the Blue Hens to 37.9% shooting and that was the story of the game.

Wilmington looked very good and they will be a handful in the semi-finals tomorrow. But now I have to get ready for the fourth and final game of the day, so check back momentarily for my preview.

Game 7: UNC-Wilmington vs. Delaware - Second Half Update

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

UNC-Wilmington started the second half exactly how they wanted to, scoring the first seven points to inflate their lead to 19. Since that point the Seahawks lead has see-sawed back and forth, but never falling below 12 points.

It’s funny how this half has worked, its almost as if someone upstairs wants it to stay as a reasonable score, but not get too close. Every time Delaware looks like they are going to make a run, they some how manage to lose momentum with either a turnover or offensive foul. Yet at the same time, whenever it looks like UNCW is ready to blow this one wide open, the refs make a call to quell the run.

Of particular enjoyment this half has been one member of the Seahawk’s student section who has been on the refs like you wouldn’t believe. He is wearing sunglasses and a yellow hard hat to go along with a wig and teal t-shirt. Every time a call goes against Wilmington he points his finger at the guilty ref and shouts, “Sir, you are blowing the game sir!” I’m easily amused I guess.

Unless Delaware’s defense can tighten up in the games final minutes they are going to be going home. At the 7:12 mark we stand at 64-48 with UNCW in command of this one, and look every bit like the #2 seed they earned in the regular season.

Game 7: UNC-Wilmington vs. Delaware - Halftime Update

> Live on-location in Richmond, VA at the CAA Tournament

UNC-Wilmington definitely asserted themselves in the final seven minutes of the half, taking a six point lead and increasing it to a 42-30 advantage at halftime. As is has been all season, balance has been the key factor to the Seahawks offense. Daniel Fountain is leading the way with 11 points, Kuljanin has chipped in 8 points and Hendley has 6. I’ve been very impressed with how well the Wilmington players cut and move without the ball. They have also done a nice job of delivering the ball when it needs to be, Kuljanin in particular passes well out of the post. Of course when you shoot 67% from both the field and beyond the arc, that makes life easier.

Courtney cooled off for Delaware, only hitting a three-pointer since we last checked in due to UNCW focusing in on him defensively. With that said though, he still had a great first half, netting 16 points to lead all scorers. Turnovers were an issue for the Fighting Blue Hens though. Big man Jim Ledsome twice let easy baskets get away from him due to his inability to catch passes that came his way. Head coach Monte Ross has to be scratching his head out how his team can shoot nearly 50% from the floor and still be down by 12 at the half. The Hens are going to have to do a better job of finding the Wilmington shooters in the second half.

We just got to watch the halftime show with both schools’ dance teams performing their routines. Little known fact, Delaware has a nationally ranked dance squad for those of you who were interested to know. I have been disappointed with the UNCW Seahawk though, I would like a little more dancing out of him. He tends to keep his webbed feet planted while just flapping a lot; lets see some enthusiasm, your team is winning!

We’ve got six minutes to go until the second half gets underway, and we’re about to enter hour eight of the day with the blog. I hope you’ve been having fun following along while I’ve been writing. I also hope you’ve all had a good first weekend of championship week so far! I’ll be back later with the usual second half update.