Monday: SEC teams seem poised to win the national title

Happy Monday everyone!

Only four of 68 remain after another brilliant weekend of college basketball.

We have a one-seed (Florida), a two-seed (Wisconsin), a seven-seed (Connectitcut) and an eight-seed (Kentucky) remaining. 

This was about as shocking an Elite Eight I’ve seen in a while. Probably since Butler and VCU won their respective regions. I know that matchup wasn’t that long ago, but who wants a boring Final Four with all top seeds?

The NCAA tournament has always been about upsets and what title favorites can survive them. I don't want a predictable Final Four. Give me some new blood and high seeds. I mean who saw these four teams making the final weekend? 

And which team are you going to pick to win it all now?

Florida seems destined for a national title after surgically removing Dayton in the Elite Eight. The Gators are the clear favorite entering Saturday’s matchups, led by four seniors.

Scottie Wilbekin is incredible at point guard, but it’s the versatility of Florida’s frontcourt that makes it something special. Patric Young, Will Yeguette and Dorian Finney-Smith all can guard multiple positions on the floor and are crucial to the Gators’ full court press.

Flordia might be the favorite, but its rival from the SEC is a close second. Very close second.

Kentucky has played in three of the best games of the tournament, and each one impressed me. The Wildcats have matured more than any other John Calipari coached team I’ve seen in recent years. That includes the team that won the tournament in 2012.

There were seniors and other upperclassmen on that squad. This year’s Kentucky team only plays freshmen. Seven of them! 

Alex Poythress is the only sophomore that sees any playing time, yet this team plays with a maturity beyond its years. The Wildcats wore down their opponents, and imposed their will at the end of games. And it wasn't like they were playing cupcakes either. They had to beat a nine-seed, a one-seed, a four-seed and a two-seed just to get to the final weekend. Are you kidding me? 

Kentucky is playing like the best team in the country right now, as was predicted at the beginning of the year.

The SEC seems to have the upper hand in this year’s Final Four, but what about the other teams?

Wisconsin makes its first trip to the Final Four since 2000, and the first trip for coach Bo Ryan. The Badgers are led by a goofy looking 7-footer in Frank Kaminsky, who can somehow score in as many ways as Doug McDermott. OK, slight exaggeration, but the guy has become a stud this season. 

Wisconsin can also shoot with the best of them, as every player on the floor will be able to hit a three consistently except for freshman Nigel Hayes, who is dangerous in other ways.

This team is the complete opposite of its Final Four opponent, Kentucky. It is filled with nerdy seniors, trying to win a national title before taking on the world in other ways. There is no hope of an NBA career for almost all of Wisconsin's players. It will be an intriguing matchup to say the least. 

On the other side of the bracket, Connecticut returns to the Final Four, but this time with second-year head coach Kevin Ollie. The Huskies are led by do-everything point guard Shabazz Napier, who is searching for his second national title.

Napier is the man, but other players have stepped up this tournament. Ryan Boatright consistently scores in double digits and is excellent from the free throw line while forward DeAndre Daniels has become a star this tournament.

It will be an interesting matchup for Florida as will the Wisconsin-Kentucky game.

I have no idea what to expect in this year’s Final Four, but I can’t wait for it.

March may be almost over, but Madness is still here.

Hot Reads

-Twenty observations from the second weekend of the NCAA tournament by none other than Mark Titus.

-It's opening day in the MLB. Find out when your team is playing. Also, the Padres took down the Dodgers for the first night game of the season last night. 

-This is usually a football question, but can anyone keep the SEC from a national title? 

That's all I got. Thanks for reading and have a great start to your week!  

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com  

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Thursday: It's time for some Sweet 16 predictions

The wait is over! It’s Thursday, and time for those Sweet 16 games!

Lets get to those predictions, region by region.

South, Thursday

No. 10 Stanford vs. No. 11 Dayton, 6:15 p.m. (CST), CBS: These are the two teams I know the littlest about. But I watched each play both of their games and both are excellent squads. Stanford boasts a strong frontcourt, led by Dwight Powell. Dayton plays strong defense with timely shooting. I like the Flyers in this one. They came up clutch against both Ohio State and Syracuse. This one will be close, but Dayton prevails. 

Dayton 60 Stanford 59.

No. 1 Florida vs. No. 4 UCLA, 30 minutes after game 1, CBS: Here’s a battle of different styles. Florida lives for the half court, where its suffocating defense wears opponents down. UCLA, on the other hand, likes to get out in transition and score quickly in its set offense. The Bruins will need to be patient and efficient on offense if they want to stick with the top-seeded Gators. I don’t think they can. 

Florida 70 UCLA 61.

West, Thursday

No. 6 Baylor vs. No. 2 Wisconsin, 6:47 p.m., TBS: This one will be interesting. Both teams like to score, as both put up big numbers in the round of 32. Baylor has size that will give the Badgers fits with Cory Jefferson and Isaiah Austin. Wisconsin has shooters at every position, making them extremely difficult to guard. However, Baylor wins this one because of its length and athleticism. It’s just a bad matchup for the Badgers. 

Baylor 75 Wisconsin 70.

No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 4 San Diego State, 30 minutes after game 1, TBS: This is a rematch of earlier this year, when Arizona took down the Aztecs in the second game of the year. The Wildcats have been playing fantastic basketball, while SDSU struggled with New Mexico State and North Dakota State in the first two rounds. However, the Aztecs will give Arizona all it can handle with their half court defense. Wildcats win, but it won’t be easy. 

Arizona 62 San Diego State 57.

Midwest, Friday

No. 11 Tennessee vs. No. 2 Michigan, 6:15 p.m., CBS: You want athleticism, tune into this one Friday night. Tennessee has plenty of it, led by Josh Richardson and Jordan McRae. Michigan is led by Glenn Robinson III and Nik Stauskas and can score with anyone in the country. I like Tennessee in this one though. The Volunteers are playing great basketball and beat their last two opponents by an average of 17 points. Michigan can score, but Tennessee shuts it down. 

Tennessee 68 Michigan 62.

No. 4 Louisville vs. Kentucky, 30 minutes after game 1, CBS: This is the one everyone is talking about. The rivalry game. The rematch. Rick Pitino vs. John Calipari. Kentucky is finally playing well and Louisville struggled in each of its first two games, so the logical choice would be the Wildcats. But, I picked the Cardinals to go to the Final Four and I’m sticking with them. 

Louisville 78 Kentucky 75.

East, Friday

No. 7 Connecticut vs. No. 3 Iowa State, 6:27 p.m., TBS: Here’s another dream matchup, Shabazz Napier vs. Deandre Kane. Other than Florida’s Scottie Wilbekin, these are the two best point guards remaining in this tournament. Both have hit clutch shots this tourney and both will make big plays Friday. Kane has the better supporting cast though, and Iowa State wins this one in an epic battle. 

Iowa State 80 Connecticut 78.

No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 4 Michigan State, 30 minutes after game 1, TBS: This one will be a bloodbath. Both teams play brutal defense and rebound extremely well. Offensively, both squads are as efficient as they come. Virginia is led by Joe Harris, who’s playmaking abilities are unrivaled. However, Michigan State has too many weapons for Virginia’s defense to stop and Adreian Payne will give the Caviliers too many problems inside. 

Michigan State 67 Virginia 63.

Things I Missed

-Rick Reilly writes about Sean and Archie Miller’s run to the Sweet 16.

-Tennessee’s Cuanzo Martin has been criticized for many years, but he’s finally making a difference.

-Northwestern football players take one step closer to being allowed to unionize. 

Thanks for reading and enjoy the games tonight!

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Wednesday: Top 5 players remaining in the NCAA tournament

It’s hump day, and that means it’s time for this week’s top 5.

As you might expect, this edition will be all about college basketball still as we are in the thick of the NCAA tournament.

I’m all about big time players making big time plays at this time of year, so this week’s topic: Top 5 players remaining in the Big Dance.

   1.  Shabazz Napier, Sr., No. 7 Connecticut: There isn’t a more valuable player in the country thanNapier is to the Huskies. He leads them in points, rebounds, assists and steals. Oh, and he might be their best perimeter defender as well. In the tournament alone, he has 49 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists and 3 steals. And it's not just how he fills the stat sheet, but when he fills it. He’s always doing the right thing in the clutch. He’s also a 87 percent free throw shooter. If you don’t believe how good this guy is, tune in to the TBS about 6:30 p.m. Friday night. He’ll put on a show for you. 

   2. Deandre Kane, Sr., No. 3 Iowa State: If it weren’t for Napier, this guy would be the most valuable player on any team right now. Where Kane goes, so does Iowa State, especially after losing Georges Niang to an injury in the opening round. Kane is big—6-foot-4—and versatile, always looking for a challenge. He plays his best against the opponent’s best, as he showed against Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart earlier this year. Also, like Napier, he’s the man in the clutch, as he showed by hitting a game winner against North Carolina in the round of 32. Look for a superb matchup between him and Napier Friday night.

   3. Julius Randle, Fr., No. 8 Kentucky: When Randle is focused, he might be the best big man in college basketball. He’s big, athletic and powerful when he gets the ball in the low post. He bullies his way past defenders, even good ones like Michigan State’s Adreian Payne earlier this year. He’s also one of just three players in the country to average a double-double this season. Not bad for a freshman. Randle is the focal point for the Wildcats. When he is playing well, few teams in the country can beat them.  

   4.  Adreian Payne, Sr., No. 4 Michigan State: Randle might be the best big man in the country, but Payne is the most consistent. He has dominated the tournament thus far on both ends of the court. He dropped 41 points and 8 rebounds in just 24 minutes of play in an opening round win against Delaware. He followed that up with a 12-point performance against Harvard, but he was an enforcer in the paint in that one. Like everyone else on this list, he is the key for Michigan State to make a run to the Final Four. Virginia will have its hands full Friday night.

   5.  Russ Smith, Sr., Louisville: It’s been fun watching Smith grow in Rick Pitino’s system. He plays with such energy and emotion, how can you not love the guy? This year has been even more impressive, as he has limited his mistakes and increased his assists. He’s averaging the same amount of points—18 a game—but is dishing out two more assists (4.7 a game) and is shooting 47 percent from the field and nearly 40 percent from three. This will be Smith’s last hoorah, as he goes for a third-straight trip to the Final Four. If Louisville doesn’t make it, it won’t be on Smith’s account.

-Rounding out the top 10: 6. Nick Johnson, No. 1 Arizona; 7. Xavier Thames, No. 4 San Diego State; 8. Andrew Harrison, No. 8 Kentucky; 8. Scottie Wilbekin, No. 1 Florida; 10. Nik Stauskas, No. 2 Michigan.

Top Videos:

-Here’s a story on Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg. And here’s a video of him dancing as well. Take a look at both, and smile.

-Jared Allen signs with the Bears. 

-Chris Berman reflects on Bills owner Ralph Wilson, who passed away yesterday. 

Thanks for reading, and look for a my predictions for the Sweet 16 tomorrow in a special edition of The Warden.

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Monday: It's time to breakdown the greatest first weekend of March Madness

Happy Monday!

So now that I’ve had a few hours sleep to digest this weekend, can we all agree that was the BEST FIRST WEEKEND OF MARCH MADNESS EVER?

I mean, I might have to make a new top 5 of favorite March Madness moments.

Yes, there are still games that are better in tournament history, but I have never witnessed so many great games in a single weekend. I would watch one, flip the channel and there’s another.

Come on, four overtimes games on the first day?

Are you serious?

Friday followed that performance up with four upsets of its own, including Mercer knocking off Duke.

And then Sunday happened. Specifically, Sunday afternoon.

The day started with Stanford upsetting Kansas and I thought the games couldn’t get any better. Boy was I wrong.

Wichita State and Kentucky followed that up with the best performance by two teams I’ve seen all tournament. I mean that game felt more like a Final Four matchup than a third rounder. It’s too bad Wichita State had to lose. I was starting to root for the Shockers because they had so much to prove. Don’t fault them for this one.

Then Iowa State and North Carolina happened. If it weren’t for the Shockers and Wildcats, this would be the game of the tournament. Deandre Kane was a man throughout this one, including his game winner.

It’s Sweet Sixteen time, and if this weekend was any indication of how this tournament is going to go the rest of the way, expect all kinds of drama.

Lets break it down by region.

South

Team of the Weekend: Dayton. Nothing against Stanford, but the Flyers have become this year’s darling. That’s what happens when you beat an in-state rival and then a team that made the Final Four last year. Dayton is the highest seed remaining in the tournament, but don’t be surprised if they play in the Elite Eight.

New Favorite: Florida. Still the same old story with the Gators. They just wear you down and take control in the second half. Expect the same the rest of the way, as Florida cruises to the Final Four.

Best Weekend Game: Ohio State-Dayton. Something about two layups in the games final 20 seconds just made this game special. That, and Aaron Craft plastered to the floor in what might be the image of the tournament.

West

Team of the Weekend: Baylor. I don’t know if it was the matchups, but the Bears might have been the most dominant team in the tournament this weekend. They rolled both Nebraska and Creighton en route to the Sweet 16 and are looking like not only Final Four contenders, but national title contenders. This matchup with Wisconsin will be very interesting.

New Favorite: Baylor. I love Baylor now if you couldn’t tell. But what other team has a better combination of size and shooting? The answer is no one. The Bears provide so many matchup problems for teams with Isaiah Austin and Cory Jefferson inside. This team has found its stride and it’s a long one. 

Best Weekend Game: San Diego State-New Mexico State. I thought the Aggies had them, but each time the Aztecs proved me wrong. New Mexico State gave San Diego State all it could handle, sending the game to overtime on a last second three. Phenomenal game to end an incredible first day of the tournament.

Midwest

Team of the Weekend: Tennessee. What a dominating performance. It wouldn’t have mattered if the Volunteers were playing a No. 1 seed. They still would be playing in the Sweet 16. After getting by Iowa in the play-in game, they easily rolled both Massachusetts and Mercer. If Baylor was the most impressive team of the first weekend, Tennessee was a close second.

New Favorite: Kentucky. It just seems unfair that the Wildcats are now finding their stride. It would have been nice if you would have told us that before we filled out our brackets. Needless to say though, Kentucky is playing like the team to beat in this region and I can’t wait until it plays Louisville in the Sweet 16.

Best Weekend Game: Wichita State-Kentucky. These teams played liked two of the top four teams in the country. It was back and forth the entire second half. Cleanthony Early proved why he was considered a lottery pick last year, and Kentucky finally played to its potential. Too bad one of these squads had to lose.

East

Team of the Weekend: Iowa State. The Cyclones gutted out a trip to the Sweet 16 after losing one of its best players in Georges Niang. This squad might be the best team to watch in the country when its making shots. Everyone on the floor is so quick and versatile. Don’t be surprised if the Cyclones make it to the Final Four, even without Niang.

New Favorite: Michigan State. I still like the Spartans. Yes, they struggled against Harvard. But in the end, they have too much talent. Virginia hasn’t seen a team that can play that good of defense and that good of offense. It’s in for a surprise in the next round.

Best Weekend Game: North Carolina-Iowa State. I didn’t think the Cyclones had it in them. But when you have that much 3-point shooting, it’s hard to lose. North Carolina dominated almost every aspect of this one, but made some key blunders at the end of the game that cost it this one. Still, a superb basketball game.

Hot Reads:

-More observations from the tournament’s first weekend as only Club Trillion can give.

-Doug McDermott left college basketball Sunday as one of the best to ever play at this level.

-Great story about Mercer’s coach in the USA Today.

Thanks for reading and sorry there wasn’t a blog on Friday. I took the day off. Have a great start to your week.

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Wednesday: My Top 5 favorite NCAA tournament moments

Happy hump day!

One day more! The countdown is almost over to March Madness.

Last night’s play-in games caused some excitement, but the real play starts tomorrow. And, of course, this week’s Top 5 will stick with college basketball.

The topic: My Top 5 memorable March Madness moments.

1.     Kansas State vs. Xavier, March 25, 2010: This game was epic. Every time one team seemed to take control, the other stormed back. Jacob Pullen drove to the hoop. Terrell Holloway knocked down clutch 3-pointer after clutch 3-pointer. Then there was Jordan Crawford’s 35 footer to send the game into double overtime. On top of all that, Gus Johnson had the play-by-play, making the game that much more exciting. I watched every minute of it, and still get chills every time I watch the highlights. The best March Madness game I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot of good ones.

2.     Kansas vs. Memphis, April 7, 2008: This is the best national championship game I’ve ever witnessed. You want talent, this game had plenty of it. Derrick Rose was the nation’s best player that year and a future No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft. Darrell Arthur led the Jayhawks that night with 20 points and 10 boards. Brandon Rush still enjoys an NBA career as does Memphis’ Chris Douglas-Roberts. But this game was all about the shot. Memphis kept missing free throws, and Mario Chalmers made them pay with a 3-pointer to bring the game into overtime. Kansas dominated the extra period, and the rest is history.

3.     Stephen Curry, 2008: A lot of people forget that the year Kansas won the national championship, it had to beat Steph Curry and Davidson in the Elite Eight. I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed an individual performance quite like this one. Step back 3s. Ankle-breaking crossovers. No look passes. Unbelievable layups. I want this kind of performance in the NCAA tournament again, but I don’t think it will ever match the greatness of Curry in 2008.

4.    George Mason’s run, 2006: The original Cinderella, at least for me. Never in my lifetime had I seen such an unthinkable run to the Final Four. I’d heard about them in the past, but I’d never witnessed it. George Mason’s run was incredible. Upset after upset. Michigan State. North Carolina. Wichita State. Then finally, UConn, the No. 1 overall seed that year. It was a run for the ages, and it sparked runs by other mid-majors now. I don’t think VCU or Butler goe to the Final Four if the Patriots don’t win. That’s the great thing about March, anything can happen.

   

5.     Duke vs. Butler, April 6, 2010: This was another game for the ages. Butler made an improbably run to the title game, beating Michigan State in the Final Four. Duke was the prohibitive favorite as the only No. 1 seed standing after regional play. The Bulldogs gave the Blue Devils all they had, and were two shots away from winning the game. Gordon Hayward missed them both off the back iron, including a last-second half court heave in desperation. If the shot had gone in, this would probably be No. 1. But instead Duke took home the crown, but the game still left a lasting impression.

Top Videos:

-Here are ESPN’s top 75 NCAA Tournament moments.

-Phil Jackson was introduced as the president of basketball operations in New York yesterday. 

-President Obama picks Michigan State to win it all in his bracket. 

-Also, check out my story on the Nebraska men's basketball team's experience in Indianapolis. 

Thanks for reading and enjoy Thursday’s round of games.

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Monday: Time to breakdown my NCAA Tournament bracket

Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!

It’s here. March Madness has finally arrived.

We got possible dream matchups everywhere. 

Wichita State-Kentucky. New Mexico vs. Embiidless Kansas. North Carolina-Iowa State. Even Nebraska-Creighton.

This is going to be a lot of fun to watch, but an absolute nightmare to predict.

Here is my bracket:

 

Let me break it down what I was thinking here.

South Region

My Pick: Florida doesn’t have it easy. UCLA in particular will give the Gators fits with the way the Bruins can score. Kansas and Syracuse are in the bracket's bottom half, but both were top 5 teams at some point this season. Even with all of that, I still like Florida. The Gators defense is just too strong. They also have four seniors starting and I have no idea how to beat them. They just don’t beat themselves.

Dark Horse: Kansas is the wildcard in this region. Joel Embiid really makes them a national title contender, but if he isn’t able toplay in the opening round, I see New Mexico knocking off the Jayhawks. If he does play, they’ll give Florida a run for its money.

Upset Alert: Watch out for Stephen F. Austin. Any team that wins 30 plus games in a season has got to be confident. And confident teams are the ones who cause problems for the higher seeds. Plus, I’m not 100 percent sold on VCU being seeded as high as it is. I thought it would be more of an seven or eight seed. Needless to say, VCU better be ready to go.

West Region

My Pick: I’m going to call it right now; this region will have the most upsets. Arizona has quietly had a fantastic season, but it drew the worse possible second round matchup. A date with red-hot Oklahoma State and Marcus Smart. The Cowboys don’t have the size to matchup with Arizona, but I love how they mix up their defenses and confuse their opponents. That’s why I like Oklahoma State in this region. I thought long and hard about picking Creighton as well. I just have a gut feeling that Doug McDermott won’t let his team lose. However, Okie State is my pick, behind a brilliant performance by Smart.

Dark Horse: San Diego State. The Aztecs have been flying under the radar all season, and it will do so again in this bracket. I think they will roll through their first two opponents, leaving a Sweet 16 matchup with either Arizona or Oklahoma State. Both are games that will be must-see TV.

Upset Alert: North Dakota State will beat Oklahoma in the opening round. I don’t know why, but I have always felt Oklahoma is overrated. And the Bison always seem to be a tough out against any team from the power six conferences.

Midwest Region

My Pick: This is the toughest region by far. Wichita State, Michigan, Duke, Louisville, are the top four seeds. The undefeated Shockers are going to face challenges right from the get go with a possible second-round matchup with Kentucky. That’s right the Wildcats are an eight seed. How do you figure that? If Wichita State gets past that nightmare matchup, it’ll likely play Louisville. Yes, Louisville is the No. 4 seed after winning the AAC and finishing top 5 in the rankings. I love the Cardinals in this bracket. They have great defense and an efficient offense that will give teams fits. That Wichita State-Louisville matchup will decide the winner of the region. And Louisville will get the job done. Duke and Michigan can make arguments as well for the Final Four, but those teams rely too heavily on the 3-point line. Louisville gets to Arlington, Texas. 

Dark Horse: Kentucky. The Wildcats are as talented a team as anyone in the country. And they started to play like it during the SEC Tournament. Don’t be surprised if they knock off Wichita State and make a run toward the Final Four.

Upset Alert: I like whatever teams play St. Louis and Massachusetts. The Atlantic 10 has been insanely overrated all year long, and every year one or two of these play in teams make a run. Sounds like a recipe for disaster for both upper seeds.

East Region

My Pick: This one is easy. Michigan State. The Spartans are finally starting to put it all together. They have the perfect blend of talent and veteran leadership. Not too mention, they are finally healthy enough to play together. Tom Izzo’s bunch will face a couple tough teams in Virginia and Iowa State, but I think this one was a pretty easy pick in the least difficult region in this year’s tournament.

Dark Horse: North Carolina. The Tar Heels can beat anyone in this bracket. They could also lose in the opening round to Providence by 20 points. That’s how much of a wildcard they are. North Carolina will give Iowa State fits in the second round if it can get by the Friars.

Upset Alert: Watch out for St. Joe’s here. It came out of no where to knock off VCU in the Atlantic 10 Tournament final and it’s riding a lot of emotion heading into this one. UConn is playing well, but this one will be interesting.

Hot Reads

-Big night for Nebraska basketball at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Here was some of the reaction. And also, here's my story in the Daily Nebraskan. 

-Here's a breakdown of every NCAA Tournament team. 

-Will anyone win a billion dollars in Warren Buffet's bracket challenge? Rick Reilly asks just that. 

Thanks for reading and let me know what you think of my bracket.

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Nebraska basketball: Buckeyes rally to beat Huskers

No. 24 Ohio State 71 Nebraska 67

Player of the Game:

Amedeo Delle Valle- The freshman was the difference in this game. When Ohio State struggled in the second half and fell behind by 18 points, Delle Valle sparked a couple runs to spark the comeback. He knocked down a three to put the Buckeyes within two points with 2:50 to play. He also hit a few huge free throws in the final minute after struggling from the line early. He finished with 12 points, but he also had 6 rebounds and 3 blocks. Not bad for a youngster in a big stage.

Key Stat:

Field Goal Shooting- Nebraska has been holding teams below 40 percent shooting consistently, but it gave up more than that Friday. The Buckeyes shot 45 percent, including 50 percent in the second half. Nebraska shot poorly throughout, finishing at 37 percent shooting. Ohio State isn’t usually a good shooting team, but it didn’t seem to have too many problems putting the ball in the bucket today.

Play of the Game:

Nebraska trailed by two points with 45 seconds to play and it elected to play defense instead of foul. Aaron Craft dribbled at the top of the key for 30 seconds then drove to the hoop, flicking the ball off the backboard and in. That was the dagger for Nebraska as Ohio State finished the Huskers off with free throw shooting. Craft finished the game with just 6 points, but they all came at big moments.

Quotes Worth Mentioning: 

-Leslie Smith, Nebraska forward

"We let the pressure get to us. We should have kept our calm. We practice against it every day, with more defenders. We didn't handle it the way they should have." 

On how you feel now...

"Not in a good mood at all. I'm disappointed. Upset. All the negative feelings you get. But we can move forward and learn from this." 

-Walter Pitchford, Nebraska forward

"This one is going to burn for a while." 

-Tim Miles, Nebraska coach

On NCAA Tourney...

"You never know. It's out of your control. You just hope that you've done enough. And that your whole body of work is good enough. I think ours is though." 

On team's implosion in second half...

"I was surprised. It was surreal. I was like, 'Are you OK?' That happens though. It's a learning experience." 

Other Notes:

-Nebraska falls to 19-12 on the season and had won eight of its last 10 games heading into the postseason.

-Nebraska falls to 1-3 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament with today’s loss, and two of NU’s Big Ten Tournament losses are to the Buckeyes.

-Prior to today, the largest lead in any game NU had lost was seven points against UAB on Nov. 22

-Terran Petteway had 20 points, his 11th 20-point effort of the season, before fouling out.

-David Rivers’ nine rebound was a career high. His previous best was seven on several occasions, most recently against Michigan State on Feb. 16

-Walter Pitchford finished with 15 points, the seventh time in the last eight games he has been in double figures. Pitchford had just three points in the two regular-season meetings with OSU.

-Shavon Shields tied his career high with four assists, accomplished most recently against Indiana on Jan. 30. Shield also added 12 points and six rebounds. 

Thanks for reading and let me know your reaction from Nebraska’s loss.

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Friday: Conference tournament predictions

Happy Friday from Indianapolis, home of the Big Ten Tournament!

We the biggest weekend of college basketball yet with Selection Sunday just two days away.

So lets get to those predictions, conference tournament style.

Marquee

ACC: Duke, Syracuse, Virginia, North Carolina. Talk about a big time field. To top it off, Duke, Syracuse and Virginia are all attempting to go for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, since Villanova was bounced yesterday. North Carolina could make a run as well, led by second team All-American Marcus Paige. The beauty of this tournament though, is the desperation of teams trying to make the Dance. Pittsburgh takes on the Tar Heels while Florida State plays Virginia, which should be a defensive struggle. This one is tough to predict because no team went on a run at the end of the season. They all just kind of beat up on each other. But I like Duke to make a run and maybe snag that final No. 1 seed. The Blue Devils just seem to have an “it” factor right now, especially with Jabari Parker playing so well.

Second Tier

Big Ten: This is probably the most intriguing tournament to pick for me. Michigan won the league, but it wasn’t a dominating performance. Nebraska is the fourth seed, but it lost seven conference games. No team was able to really establish itself as the league’s best. This is why I like Michigan State. The Spartans are the No. 3 seed, but are poised to make a tournament run, as I wrote in the Daily Nebraskan yesterday. They are getting healthy. They have three of the conference’s best players in Adreian Payne, Keith Appling and Gary Harris. And they have Tom Izzo as their coach. That always helps. I think they’ll win a couple close ones in the first two rounds, but then they dominate the championship game.

Might Get Interesting

AAC: You want talented guard play, tune into the AAC Tourney today. Russ Smith and No. 5 Louisville take on Houston while Shabazz Napier and No. 21 Connecticut play No. 13 Cincinnati. Oh, Cincinnati has a pretty good guard as well in Sean Kilpatrick. Both games will be entertaining, but I like Connecticut and Louisville to win. A Napier-Smith matchup in the championship game will be must-see TV the way both are playing. Napier led his team in points, assists, rebounds and steals during the regular season. Because of him, I’m going to take UConn with the upset here. The Huskies seem to be playing well enough to make a deep tournament run.

Other Picks

-Big 12: Kansas

-Big East: Creighton

-Mountain West: San Diego State

-Atlantic 10: VCU

Things I Missed:

-Phenomenal story about the best coach you’ve never heard of.

-If Nebraska can be turned into a hoops hotbed, why not Penn State?

-Four days following Wichita State win the Missouri Valley tournament.

-Your NCAA Tourney guide as only Grantland can do.

Thanks for reading and look for a Nebraska basketball blog after its game against Ohio State at 1:30 today.

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Wednesday: Top 5 teams that need a big final weekend

It’s Hump Day! And we’re just five days away Selection Sunday.

Eleven teams have already punched their ticket to the Big Dance and some need to do some work to get in. Who are those teams that need to make a run in their respective conference tournaments?

This week’s Top 5 topic focuses on just that: Top 5 teams that need a big final weekend to make the NCAA Tournament.

1.     Minnesota, 19-12 (8-10), RPI 49, Strength of Schedule (SOS) 5: The Gophers have a strong resume, but a lot of weird losses as well. They’ve beaten teams like Wisconsin and Ohio State. But they’ve lost to teams like Northwestern at home and Purdue on the road. Hence, the sub .500 conference record. Minnesota needs to make a run to at least the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament if it wants to feel good heading into Sunday.

2.     Providence, 20-11 (10-8), RPI 54, SOS 77: The Friars missed a golden opportunity to make their resume much stronger when they lost at Creighton Saturday. Then again, no one was going to beat Creighton on Doug McDermott’s senior night. So this now leaves Providence in a sticky situation. It’s 5-5 in its last 10 games. That’s not exactly wowing the selection committee. The Friars have a huge opening round matchup with St. Johns—another bubble team—on Thursday in the Big East Tournament. Beating the Red Storm would impress the committee a little bit. But only a little.

3.     Arkansas, 21-10 (10-8), RPI 53, SOS 89: How do you beat Kentucky twice and then get pounded by Alabama? Well, ask the Razorbacks. They are an extremely talented team with tons of athleticism, but aren’t consistent. An 89^th-ranked strength of schedule doesn’t help either. The good news though, they still can make a run in the SEC Tournament. Arkansas will play either Auburn or South Carolina in the opening round. Win that game and then win against Tennessee, the committee might be impressed. Lose the opening game and say hello to the NIT.

4.     Dayton, 22-9 (10-6), RPI 40, SOS 48: If there’s a team that benefits from the eye test more than anyone, it’s the Flyers. Dayton knocked off two NCAA Tournament teams and an NIT team in its final three games to finish 10-6 in conference. Beating St. Louis on the road is impressive, but the Flyers still need to do some work in the Atlantic 10 Tournament before they can go dancing. Win two games in that tourney, and Dayton will be shining up its dance shoes next week.

5.     Florida State, 18-12 (9-9), RPI 58, SOS 47: Here’s the bad news; the Seminoles’ resume isn’t all that impressive. Here’s the good news; they play in the ACC. They drew the No. 9 seed in the conference tournament and will play Maryland Thursday. If they win that game, No. 1 seed Virginia looms Friday. Both those games are extremely winnable for Florida State. If it can get to 20 wins and knock off a Top 10 team in the Cavaliers, I think the Seminoles are in the tourney.

Top Videos:

-Big day in NFL free agency yesterday, including the Cowboys getting rid of their best defensive player. 

-The Broncos also seem to be stocking up on defense. 

-Four teams punched their tickets to the NCAA Tournament Tuesday: Milwaukee, Mount Saint Mary's, Gonzaga and North Dakota State. 

-Not a video, but I documented my walk to Pinnacle Bank Arena for Nebraska's upset against Wisconsin Sunday. Here's my column. 

Thanks for reading! Friday’s post will be from the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis.

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Monday: Reaction to a huge weekend in Nebraska sports

Happy Monday everyone! What a weekend for Nebraska sports.

A women’s basketball championship, a 3,000-point scorer and the start of spring football.

But the Nebraska men’s basketball team overshadowed all that last night.

What an atmosphere at Pinnacle Bank Arena. I’m still getting chills from it. 15,998 people packed into that place and it was rocking the entire night.

Coach Tim Miles said it best in his post-game press conference.

“That was one of the more exciting environments that a guy can experience, or a team can experience, or a fan can experience in college basketball. If you would’ve told me that was the way it was going to be last year when we played Southern in the Devaney Center, I wouldn’t have believed you. But that’s what we want Husker basketball to be about, and that’s what we want it to continue to be about.”

This team continues to impress me. Everyone game it seems it gets better at something different. Sunday night it was adjusting on defense.

The Huskers came out and double-teamed everyone in the post, including the guards. This left wide open shooters on the back side and Wisconsin made most of them, en route to five 3s in the first half.

However, Nebraska made an adjustment in the second half, only doubling the Badger post players. This worked out brilliantly as the Huskers were able to keep the Wisconsin shooting at bay.

Adjusting is something NCAA Tournament teams do well, and that’s exactly what happened Sunday.

I don’t know if this squad is going to win a game in the Big Dance, but the fact that they should be in at this point in the season is amazing. What a job by Miles and the rest of that coaching staff. 

The state of Nebraska is on fire for basketball and I love it. 

-The Nebraska men’s team shouldn’t get all the attention either. Coach Connie Yori’s women’s squad deserves a good chunk of it as well after winning the program’s first Big Ten tournament title.

What a phenomenal run by the Huskers. It’s amazing to see these players blossom into stars.

I covered the team two years ago, and then Tear’a Laudermill was just a frantic guard with flashes of her potential, Hailie Sample seemed completely lost on offense and Emily Cady was just a skinny freshman getting bumped around inside.

Now, Laudermill is an All-Big Ten guard, Sample is one of the top defenders in the country and Cady is one of the best rebounders in the Big Ten.

Yori has built a powerhouse in Nebraska, and it’s only going to go up from here. Sure, she looses Jordan Hooper, one of the best to ever put on a Husker uniform. But out with one star in with another. Rachel Theriot’s turn is coming.

Hot Reads

-ESPN story about Huskers win against Wisconsin. 

-Sunday belonged to Nebrasketball, but Saturday belonged to Doug McDermotts. Two fantastic columns by Dirk Chatelain and Greg Doyle on Dougie McBuckets. 

-Oh, some other things happened outside of Nebraska this weekend. Like Wichita State becoming the first team to enter the NCAA Tournament undefeated since UNLV in 1991. 

-Here is the Big Ten Tournament bracket.
-Another Nebraska note, smooth move by senior Mike Peltz. 

-Finally, here's a video I took last night of Nebraska fans storming the court. Enjoy!

Thanks for reading and have a great week! Also, keep an eye out for Big Ten awards. I'll have an update when it happens. 

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward