Eight games with “Sweetness” on the line. Join the conversation. Take a seat on the Pine.
No.1 Seed Syracuse Orange (32-2 Big East) vs. No.8 Seed Kansas State (22-10 Big 12)
Syracuse and Kansas State have split the two previous meetings between the two schools. The Wildcats defeated the Orange , 88-68, in Manhattan, Kansas during the 1968-69 campaign. The most previous meeting was in the NCAA Tournament East Region final in 1974-75. The Orange posted a 95-87 overtime victory to advance to its first Final Four.
Syracuse won its NCAA Tournament opener for the fourth straight season with a 72-65 victory against UNC Asheville on Thursday, March 15. The Orange rallied from a four-point deficit at halftime to win its school-record 32nd game of the year.
Senior Scoop Jardine tallied seven quick points after intermission and his layup at 15:07 gave SU a 41-40 lead. The teams traded baskets before James Southerland connected on his second three-pointer of the game to put the Orange ahead 50-48. Freshman Rakeem Christmas extended the lead to four when he converted on an assist from Jardine with 8:30 to play.
Kansas State advanced to the NCAA Tournament Third Round with a 70-64 victory against Southern Miss. The Wildcats enter Saturday’s game with a 22-10 record.
Junior guard Rodney McGruder is Kansas State’s leading scorer, averaging 15.9 points per game. He scored a game-high 30 points in the Wildcats second-round victory. Senior forward Jamar Samuels also averages double figures in scoring (10.0 ppg.) and leads K-State on the boards, grabbing 6.6 per game.
No. 2 Seed Ohio State Buckeyes (28-7; 13-5 Big Ten Conference) vs. No. 7 Seed Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-6; 13-3 West Coast) NCAA Tournament Third Round
Gonzaga is playing in its 14th straight NCAA Tournament and its 15th in school history, first making the dance in 1965. The Bulldogs have won at least one game in each of their last three appearances and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fifth time in 2006. The Bulldogs lone appearance in the Elite Eight was 1999 when the current streak of NCAA appearances began. Ohio State University is playing in its 28th NCAA Tournament, the Buckeyes 42-22, not counting a 6-4 record from 1999-2002 when the NCAA vacated OSU’s NCAA Tournament results. The Buckeyes have been in five NCAA Championship games but won their only title in 1960. This will be the inaugural basketball meeting between Gonzaga and OSU, the latter ranked seventh in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Top 25 rankings this week. Two of the active winningest NCAA Division I coaches will be on opposing benches Saturday when Gonzaga faces Ohio State University. Bulldogs head coach Mark Few is 342-89 for a winning percentage of .794 to rank second behind Roy Williams. OSU coach Thad Matta is 322-95 for a winning percentage of .772 to rank fourth.
(3) Marquette (26-7) vs. (6) Murray State (31-1) NCAA Tournament – West Region
The Racers have played Marquette only once in their 87 seasons of college basketball and that meeting came in the NCAA Tournament in 1969. The game, played at the SIU Arena in Carbondale, Ill., featured legendary MSU coach Cal Luther. The Racers came away with an 82-62 loss and ended their season at 22-6. MSU also won a share of the Ohio Valley Conference regular title in that 1968-69 season. In the game with Marquette, MSU trailed 42-32 at the half. The Racers were led by Claude Virden with 17 points, while Hector Blondet added 15. The game at SIU was significant because it would be 1988 before the Racers got another shot at the NCAA Tournament.
#5 VANDERBILT (25-10 SEC) vs. #4 WISCONSIN (25-9 Big Ten) NCAA 3rd Round, East Regional
Vanderbilt and Wisconsin have never met on the hardwood. Coach Stallings is 1-2 all-time against Wisconsin, with both meetings coming while he was the head coach at Illinois State.
Stat Comparison (2011-12)
VU WIS
All SEC All B10
Record 25-10 10-6 25.9 12-2
Scoring Offense 73.1 70.8 64.1 60.6
Scoring Defense 65.1 63.8 52.8 57.1
Scoring Margin +8.0 +6.9 +11.4 +3.5
FG% .461 .457 .425 .399
FG% Defense .419 .402 .383 .406
3FG% .391 .423 .365 .323
3FG% Defense .309 .289 .290 .299
Free Throw % .698 .708 .746 .774
Rebounding 34.5 33.9 33.9 32.7
Rebounding Margin +1.4 +0.1 +2.6 -0.1
Turnovers/game 13.3 12.8 9.0 9.2
Opponent Turnovers 12.7 10.7 10.9 9.3
Steals 6.0 4.8 5.1 4.3
Blocks 4.0 4.6 3.6 3.4
No. 4 INDIANA (26-8, 11-7 BIG TEN) vs. No. 12 VCU (29-6, 15-3 CAA)
IU returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008 and notched its first tournament win since 2007 after defeating New Mexico State, 79-66. The Rams, who were in the 2011 Final Four, defeated Wichita State,62-59. The Hoosiers have won six of their last seven and nine of 11 games since February 4, and are 4-0 all-time against No. 12 seeds.
Today’s matchup is the second head-to-head meeting between the Rams and Indiana. The only other time these two programs faced off was in 1988 in Bloomington, when the Hoosiers took home a 85-68 win.
VCU is 4-5 all-time against current Big Ten institutions, with just two of those contests coming in the past 10 years. It will be the second straight year that the Rams battled a Big Ten opponent in the NCAA Tournament Third Round with VCU taking down Purdue last year, 94-76.
Indiana is 10-2 all-time against teams from the CAA and 1-0 against VCU. Of those 10 victories, two have come in the NCAA Tournament (vs. George Mason in 1989 and vs. UNC Wilmington in 2002).
No. 1 Kentucky (33-2/16-0 SEC) vs. No.8 Iowa State (23-10/12-6) NCAA Third Round South Regional
Kentucky Wildcats • #1
Record: 33-2, 16-0 in SEC
Rankings: No. 1 (AP)/No. 1 (Coaches)
RPI/SOS (CollegeRPI.com): 2/25
Last Game: Defeated Western Kentucky, 81-65
Head Coach: John Calipari
Overall Record: 542-154 (.779)
at UK: 97-14 (.874)
vs. Iowa State: 1-0
Last five games: 4-1
Iowa State • #8
Record: 23-10, 12-6 in Big 12
Rankings: nr/nr
RPI/SOS (CollegeRPI.com): 33/39
Last Game: Defeated UConn, 77-64
Head Coach: Fred Hoiberg
Overall Record: 39-26 (.600)
at Iowa State: 39-26 (.600)
Hoiberg vs. Kentucky: 0-0
Last five games: 3-2
No. 5 seed (#21/22) New Mexico (28-6) vs. No. 4 seed (#17/18) Louisville (27-9)
The Lobos are 0-2 all-time against Louisville, including the last matchup, which was a round of 32 game on March 16, 1997 inPittsburgh, a game won by Louisville 64-63 when a last-ditch UNM shot missed at the buzzer. New Mexico was a 3-seed in that tournament. UNM is 4-20 against the current configuration of the Big East. Although Louisville in 1997 was a member of Conference USA, the Lobos have been eliminated from the NCAA Tournament four times by Big East teams…in 1996 (Georgetown), 1998 (Syracuse), 1999 (Connecticut), and Villanova (2005). The Lobos shot 50% or better in an NCAA Tournament game on Thursday for the first time since shooting 52.1% against Cal State Fullerton in 1978, a game UNM lost.
‘Cuse seems be recovering nicely from the Fab Melo suspension. The zone is pretty active and is causing Kansas State some issues early on.
When the wings are so active on that zone it almost appears to be a soft man to man.
Scoop Jardine = Stone Cold halfcourt offense killer.
Too many turnovers.
K State has 14 offensive rebounds…in the first half…and they are losing?
If there was an equation to figure out inconsistent play, Scoop would rank at the top. I can’t figure out him.
Re: Melo’s suspension – testament to SU’s depth.
I stand by what I said earlier. SU will go as far as Scoop Jardine allows them to go.
Cuse up 47-37 right now is a direct reflection of his play. 5 turnovers with 13 minutes to go in the second half is too many. That also doesn’t include the bad decisions he makes that result in a turnover by another teammate.
But his passes to the post have been tremendous.
Third round? Oh yeah… This will throw me off every year. Like what Kyle said: So 60 teams have a first round bye?
Smitty – I do like Boeheim’s zone and how those wings cheat so far up and kind of “pass off” a perimeter player once the top can get over, but I still say a zone catches up to you long before the championship game. I really thought if Syracuse went man against UNC-Asheville, they would have annihilated them. UNC-A couldn’t dribble and were way undersized. Could shoot for days though. Plus, they had someone who could catch in the middle of the zone and make good decisions, unlike Kansas State today. Does Frank Martin even enjoy coaching K-State? He never looks happy.
Interesting to listen to Jay Wright talk about the SU zone. He said they go in at half time and look at the shot chart and make adjustments from there. NOt sure if he knows that officially and how he came about that info (does he have an infiltrator? hahaha). It sounds pretty simple though. This is where the opponent is hitting shots, so we need to get there. Of course, all of this depends upon SU getting set in there zone. If they don’t score, the don’t get set.
Who would have thought that Gonzaga would attack Ohio State in the post.
Hasn’t Sullinger been getting into foul trouble lately though? Might make sense if you want a shot at beating the Buckeyes.
Oh yeah, without a doubt. I’m just accustomed to the Zags attacking people from the outside – in. It makes a lot of sense because as you say Sullinger is foul prone.
Stat of the day: Iowa State’s Royce White leads his team in PPG, RPG, assists, steals, and blocked shots.
I saw that. 5 assists for a 6’8″ guy? Interesting. It’s not like the rest of the guys on the team are stiffs, but somehow he leads in that many categories.
Hey how about Coach Jabir and the Dayton Flyers!! Late in the first half and the Flyer are leading 33-23. Justine Raterman is tearing it up!!
SWEET!
What year is David Stockton?? It is a little eery watching him play as he looks a lot like his father.
Is it just me, or is Ohio State’s offense completely vanilla?
Smitty – we were just talking about that.
Add to the eerie value when little Stockton runs the high pick and roll with Sacre.
There is absolutely no movement in Ohio State’s offense. Just throwing the ball around the perimeter, maybe chuck it inside to Sullinger – otherwise just throw up a 3.
I know a zone can have that effect, but they don’t even show anything in transition.
His vision on the floor is impressive. His drive and kick to the corner for a 3 was fantastic.
Casey, the fog is here!!
I guess you can be vanilla when Sullinger can hit a jump hook over Sacre. Sacre? Please jump! Defend!
Spoke too soon on Dayton. Arkansas went on a 12-2 run to finish the half. All tied 35-35 at the half.
Fog? What fog? Hahaha. Oh, is that why I can’t see any chimneys across the street.
“Spoke too soon on Dayton. Arkansas went on a 12-2 run to finish the half. All tied 35-35 at the half.” Crap.
Pretty much. It is making its way down my street right now.
Harris needs to make these free throws.
Not looking at the Gametracker – but free throws pcts. have to be awful.
Explain to me how a 3 pt. shooter like Aaron Craft can shoot over 35% from behind the 3 point line, but be 70% free show shooter?
That blows my mind.
All the good looks Gonzaga has had and THAT is the shot which goes?
I am declaring that if a 3 pointer needs to bounce around the rim 5 or more times – should count as 2. 🙂
The poor free throw shooting might change the thinking late in the game. If you are protecting a lead, why not foul instead of letting a guy get to the rim for an easy two.
Gonzaga was 14-of-19 from the line? It seemed like they missed a lot more.
They seemed to miss a lot late in the game. Pressure got the best of them?
Dayton game is on ESPN 2 right now.
Ohio State’s offense does seem stale. Not a fan of Buford at all. He seems to be really clueless at times and gets bailed out when he penetrates.
I saw Ohio State play early this season – against Wisconsin maybe – and Buford looked impressive coming off screens, catching and scoring. But you are right. Since then he looks disinterested.
Murray State-Marquette is something else defensively. Both teams pressure the ball so well and are so laterally quick that they can’t get anything going.
I was just going to comment about empty possessions.
Wow! A shot clock violation on Marquette.
Love the new UPS commercial – the value of the pass
Rey – Marquette’s coaching staff is seeing the same thing as you. They came out of that timeout shooting early in the clock. That’s one way to counter the defense.
Smitty – Arkansas runs at the end of both halves killed the Flyers huh?
Wow – this game is super physical. Basketball purists have to be hating this. On a side note, Marquette’s unis are just awful. I can’t believe people like them. It will be one of those things that people realize in 10 years. Kind of like this travesty: https://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/1003/ncaa.icnonic.kentucky.photos/images/tony-delk.jpg
7 lead changes, 5 ties and no lead larger than 5? Sounds like a Bonaventure-St. Joe’s game.
Maybe I’m not a basketball purist, but I love this game because the physical nature demands basketball plays by the offense.
Like that jumper off the glass by Daniel. That was great stuff. He wasn’t getting anything inside because of the physicality. He steps out and makes a shot.
Completely killed the Flyers. Arkansas is very athletic and it appeared to be wearing Dayton down. Couple of possessions late in the second half where the Razorbacks got 2nd and 3rd chances.
Long possessions = fatigue = Dayton done.
Rey? Did you HAVE to remind us of those Wildcat…costumes?
Wisconsin has taken two charges before the first media timeout.
I liked that bank shot. Haven’t seen one in a while. I’m not up on the newest rule book for basketball, but did they add an extra step or two? Marquette guard took like 4 to get to rim on last shot of half.
Hahaha – I was thinking the same thing. It’s like the stepping over the inbound line: https://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/17844883/more-ref-controversy-at-end-of-fsus-win-over-st-bonaventure