NCAA Tournament 2011: Day TWO!

I’m back this fine afternoon to cover the first four games of day two. What a day we had yesterday, truly the definition of March madness. Now, Texas and Oakland is about to get underway and I will end with George Mason and Villanova. Let’s get it started. Again, my summaries will be in live blog format, because I’m writing it as it’s happening, easier for me, and probably more exciting for you.

Texas-85 Oakland-81 : A lot of people picking Oakland for the upset and I’m one of them. Steve Kerr and Marv Albert calling the game, sweet. Early on, Oakland does not look like your typical mid-major team. They are chalk full of athletes. This Keith Benson kid is for real for Oakland, at the 14 and a half minute mark he just tore down the lane and dunked it. With ten minutes left to play in the half Texas leads it 22-15, neither team really dominating. Oakland has had some missed free-throws but both teams shooting the ball very well. I mentioned Benson, well Cory Joseph is for real as well for Texas. I just found Jai Lucas, he nails a jumper to put Texas up ten. Steve Kerr says its danger time for Oakland and then they score. It’s 27-19 with 8:33 left and I’m switching over to the UT-Michigan game for a while. 46-38 Texas at the half, my satellite went out. Great. 14 points for Thompson for Texas, Oakland keeps trying to get back within striking distance and Texas keeps pulling away. Texas is running Oakland out of the gym now, getting out of hand for Oakland, they better do something quick. Oakland isn’t playing bad at all, it’s just Texas is firing on all cylinders. It’s been all Texas though, Thompson for Texas is flirting with a triple double. This one is about over with five minutes to play and Texas is up 76-63. Oakland climbing back in it now, but it may be too late. They are down five with a little over a minute to go. And Obama is now on my screen and this one is in the books. Good fight by Oakland though, played a good game, but Texas was just on.

Michigan-75 Tennessee-45: Really not sure if UT should have been in the tournament but if the

Vol’s of December show up, then I think they have a shot to beat Duke. The problem is UT has lost seven of their last 11. That sucks, Michigan has won eight of their last nine. Tobias Harris already has eight points, UT has only scored eight points. Satellite went out, and turned my cable on to see Tobias Harris has scored 15 of UT’s 20 points and he’s 5/5 from the field. Impressive young fella. After shooting horrid from the three point line and from the field, Michigan makes a 10-0 run at the end of the half, not sure what the score is at the moment because of my satellite. All of a sudden UT is down nine with three minutes already played in the second half. I think UT will fold at this point, just a gut feeling. Out of the locker room Michigan led by four, now the lead is up to 14 after a three. Switching games for a bit. UT is now getting beat by 25. I’m going to mark it down that this is Bruce Pearl’s last as the head coach at UT. Sad performance. While I was writing the last sentence, UT just went down 30 points. I think the UT athletic director screwed the team’s morale with saying he doesn’t know about Pearl. This is bad…Really bad. Michigan ends the game on a 38-6 run and Pearl calls one time out the whole time. He will be fired before the plane lands in Knoxville.

Notre Dame-69 Akron-56 : This one’s starting up and I’ll probably watch a little of it but I know Notre Dame is going to roll. I’m telling you, I don’t like Ben Hansbrough but man he brings passion to the game. Notre Dame on a 10-0 run to get out of a sluggish start against the Zips and he busts a three and gets all pumped up. I love it. Don’t look now but Akron is playing very well and only down four to Notre Dame. The seven footer Marshall in the middle for Akron with a ferocious block on Hansbrough and then caused him to miss another shot. Akron is fighting. We are at half time, 34-30, Notre Dame. Notre Dame has pulled away from Akron by outscoring them 11-3 to open up after half time, pushed the lead to 45-33 with about 13:21 to play in the game. I’m busy trying to find a Bruce Pearl press conference. Alright, back in the action after the Bruce Pearl press conference. Akron only down 10, still chipping away and plenty of time to play with 6:27 left in the game. Notre Dame is up 12 with four minutes left to play. Akron has been scrappy the whole game and competing. Looks like Notre Dame will pull this one out.

George Mason-61 Villanova-57: I think this game is a tossup so I’ll be watching a lot of it. Especially since Gus Johnson is on the call. Mason has won 16 of the last 17. The trend in the tournament is teams that win keep on winning no matter what league it is and Nova is the opposite, but I think they pull it out. I’ve been watching the Bruce Pearl train wreck and missed some of the G-Mason and Nova game. Seven left to play in the first half and Nova is up 23-19. At the half, after I watched Bruce Pearl’s press conference it’s 35-29 Nova. I haven’t been paying full attention to this game, 14:05 left and the pace is just up and down with Nova pulling up with quick jump shots and George Mason trying to push the pace even faster. If Nova is hitting, Ohio.St better look out. It’s 41-33 with 13:44 left. Alan is up next. Here comes George Mason and they cut Nova’s lead to one. George Mason is counter punching Nova right now. 10 minutes on the clock and we are looking at a heck of a game. Approaching three minutes to play and it’s 54-48 Nova. Nova’s guards are something else. George Mason nails a three and my man Gus calls it “PURE”. Three point game with 1:46 to go. AND ONE! 54-53, GM has a chance to tie it right here after the commercial break. George Mason has found the lead for the first time since in the first half. They are fighting, scraping for their lives. What a game! Corey Fisher fouled on a three and he makes them all for the lead 57-56. 31.7 and George Mason has the ball. Shot clock turned off. Hancock with a THREE BALL! ICE WATER IN HIS VEINS! 8.5 to go, Nova misses a shot, rebound to George Mason but a tie up gives the ball back to Nova. They put time on the clock, 9.1 seconds left. Fisher to inbound. Nova gets a good look, but George Mason grabs the rebound and throws it ahead for a DUNK. Game over! What a game!

Bruce Pearl’s Press Conference: Wow this was bad. Pearl looked like a beaten man, and I had to watch it rather than the games because it’s most likely Pearl’s last time as the UT head coach. Some of his highlights were that he said the team quit, which is one of the worst things you want to say as a coach, is that your team quit on you. He also said Hopson and Harris never gelled together like he thought they would and that is his fault as a coach. He said that the off court issues isn’t an excuse for playing poorly. Man, he looked like a beaten man.

I’ll see you guys tomorrow for the UK game.

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