Upsets galore, tight games aplenty, if day one of the NCAA Tourney is any indication of what’s to come, this tournament has the goods to be one of the most exciting ever

SCOTT JACOBS

We haven’t even completed day one of a whacky NCAA Tournament and there’s already been more upsets than anyone could have forseen.  And after a lackluster, mere mortal tourney last year, it’s a breath of fresh air to see these fantastic free for alls clog up our tv screens from sun up to sun down.

If this season has taught us anything it’s that the great teams (or the dominant ones) are more than a hair above the rest.  Teams like Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse, and Duke appear to be on a different stratosphere than everyone else.  Of course, only Kentucky had proven that as of press time, but I feel safe that all the one seeds will advance, and do so comfortably.

But when it comes to everyone else, brackets be damned, logic be lit on fire, anything can happen in 2010.  Earlier in the day a good Vanderbilt team was upended by a gutsy Murray State Racers squad on a big time, magic moment, game winning deuce as time expired.  Danero Thomas welcome to tournament lore. The Racers, a 13 seed, played a splendid game, but like many underdogs needed a big time shot to win.  Ohio on the otherhand.  Wow.  Seizing control from practically the opening tip, the Bobcats not only beat the 3 seed Big East titans, they mauled them.  The final says 14 points, a stunning number for a 14 seed over a 3, but that barely touches the surface.  Ohio was calm, cool, and collective throughout, and had the look a team that had no fear of mighty Georgetown. When their lead began to dwindle a little bit, they held their own, hit their shots, and left a stunned Dunkin’ Doughnuts arena with a big time stumper.

Which brings us to the Big East, or should I say the not so mighty Big East.  In addition to Georgetown’s shocking exit, 6 seed Notre Dame, the cute little team that rode a hot Big East tournament to a higher than deserved seed, was bounced by upstart Old Dominion, a team that is notorious for it’s basketball prowess… in women’s hoops.  Meanwhile Marquette, the best Big East story all year, blew a comfortable second half lead to surging Washington (Yes! The Pac 10 does have a team or two in the tourney and a pulse) 80-78.  Quincy Pondexter did a nice little up fake and kiss off the glass with under two seconds left to upend the overachieving Golden Eagles.

The Big East brought a record tying 8 teams to the dance,   Nearly adding insult to injury, was sagging Villanova, which trailed nearly the entire way against 15 seed Robert Morris before pulling away late in overtime.  To say the Big East has had a day to forget would be, well, quite the understatement.  They do have four more teams going at it tomorrow though: Louisville, Pitt, Syracuse, and West Virginia will all take the floor tomorrow with aspirations of righting some first day wrongs.

We had two overtime games all of last year’s forgettable tournament.  Today: we’ve already had two, with BYU and Florida playing a terrific 2 OT thriller, and the afforementioned Wildcats holding onto beat a gutsy Morris.

How good have the games been in day one: as of press time (the start of the 9:30 and later games) there had been just four games decided by more than 10 points, including a double digit surprise no one saw coming (Ohio).  Six games were decided by three or less points.

It’s clear that while a team like Kansas or Kentucky will probably win it all, the road to Indianapolis will not be paved with favorites.  I’m not saying George Mason is out there again, but if there’s  year where a Final Four spot for a mid-major may be out there, why not this year?  Why not a year where Syracuse goes into the tourney having lost two straight?  Why not this year if Kentucky can be a top team despite having no one who has any tourney experience?  Why not?

Why can’t a team like Old Dominion or Murray State make it deep?  Clearly the stars seem aligned for a nobody to become a somebody.

Hope you picked a lot of upsets this year.

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