Recreation (OR Madness, I tell you!)

This month has been somewhat of an anomoly for me. Usually, as March Madness gets rolling I find some time to watch conference tournaments and the Selection Show, after which I promptly create a Tournament Challenge group and fill out my bracket. This year? I did even see a complete bracket until about 3 hours ago, one week after the tournament started…

Needless to say, I’ve been flying a little blind as the tournament has unfolded. It has been fun, though, to just watch the games.

And, since I’m in basketball mode, I thought I’d offer some basketball thoughts to take a break from the political inanity where the opposition party can offer a “budget” without numbers.

Starting with my first look a the bracket, I was a little surprised at how much to form the tournament has gone. Only two teams (Arizona and Purdue) were not a 4 seed or higher.

The first couple games tonight would probably be called defensive battles as 3 of 4 teams really struggled to score. Only UConn got above 60 points. What’s really impressive about that, is that I’m pretty sure that the NCAA modified the rules to say that Purdue players do not, by definition, foul. UConn overcame the hack and grab style that is synonymous with Big Ten Football, to win by an impressive margin.

In the other early game, Xavier seemed position to eek out an upset until Pitt’s senior guard, Levance Fields, drilled a contested long 3. Next possession, Pitt force a turnover and the game was all but over.

And now, I’m really enjoying the fast paced, high scoring Mizzou/Memphis game. Either of these teams against UConn will make for an interesting game. In the meantime, this is one fun game to watch, especially in the aftermath of the two offensively limited, slow games earlier.

And it’s halftime, punctuated by a made 3/4 court shot by Mizzou!