HENDERSON’S TAKE
National college basketball writer John Henderson gives you a peek behind the scenes at the tournament:
The Tubby watch
I’ve met a lot of people here in Lexington already. It’s not hard. All you have to do is walk up to any person and ask the one question they want to discuss: “Tubby: In or out?” Since arriving Tuesday I’ve asked car-rental clerks, cops, old men in bars, waitresses and school children. They all had an opinion about Tubby Smith, the embattled coach of unranked Kentucky, which plays Villanova 370 miles away today in Chicago. Most gave the same answer: “In.” That’s because they think I meant if the school would keep him. When I ask, “But what’s your opinion?” they immediately said, “Out.” Some say it runs about 50-50 around the state. But it’s clear a lot of people in this hoops-crazed state are a lot more interested in what happens behind closed doors in Kentucky’s athletic department than inside Rupp Arena in the South Regional this weekend. I wrote one column on the guy two weeks ago and the next day I was on two radio shows in Kentucky and called by the lead sports anchor in Lexington. I was told I’d either be feted or filleted once I hit town. It could be worse. I could be in Chicago coaching Kentucky.
IMPRESSIVE
Other than that, how good was he?
Central Connecticut State forward Obie Nwadike, right, gave away eight inches to Ohio State 7-footer Greg Oden: “He’s a lot bigger, a lot more athletic and a lot more agile than I thought he would be.”
COLORADO CONNECTION
Bouldin bows out with Gonzaga’s loss
Matt Bouldin’s first taste of the NCAA Tournament was a sour one as 10th-seeded Gonzaga couldn’t pull off an upset and fell to Indiana 70-57. The Bulldogs’ freshman guard from ThunderRidge High School finished with eight points and four rebounds as the Hoosiers avenged last year’s second-round loss to Gon-
zaga. Bouldin is used to playing basketball in March, but not on this level. For the past three months of March, Bouldin was leading the Grizzlies to the championship game of the Class 5A state tournament.
ARIZONA
This is 2007, not 1997
Lute Olson has been comparing this Arizona squad to the one that was relatively quiet in 1997 before winning the national championship. Question is, do these Wildcats have enough to knock off three No. 1 seeds? They will find out quickly if they get past No. 8 Purdue today to match up against the Midwest Regional’s top-seeded Florida Gators. But as much as this Arizona team is trying to get motivated, it is a different bunch from the one 10 years ago. “The fact remains, this is not the ’97 team,” said Marcus Williams, Arizona’s leading scorer. “We’ve got to go about it our way.” Arizona (20-10) started strong, opening 12-1, but faltered down the stretch. However, Olson pointed out Thursday that all 10 losses were to teams that wound up seeded first through fifth in the NCAA Tournament. “We’ve made reference to the fact that no one remembers during the year with the ’97 team, all they remember is the ring,” Olson said. “We try to utilize that to the fullest.”
FRIENDLY MATCHUP
Reluctant combatants
Tom Izzo and Tom Crean spent five seasons together at Michigan State, so when they faced off Thursday it wasn’t easy, as Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans thumped Marquette 61-49. “It was a very difficult prep week for me,” Izzo said.
PLAYER TO WATCH TODAY: TREY JOHNSON
No taming this Tiger
Vitals: 6-foot-5, 218-pound senior guard from Jackson State started college playing baseball at Alcorn State.
Key stat: Johnson ranks second nationally in scoring, averaging 27.1 points, and holds his school’s single-season record with 922 points.
What to watch for: In the SWAC Tournament championship game, Johnson scored 33 points (shooting 5-for-7 on 3-pointers). His coach, Tevester Anderson, says no one can stop Johnson one-on-one: “(He gets) triple-teamed, double-teamed, everything else. You see all that.” Johnson gives the Tigers a glimmer of hope to become the first No. 16 seed to knock off a No. 1 seed.
CONFERENCE CALL
That’s why they call it Big
Ohio State, Michigan State and Indiana have the Big Ten off to a fast start. The ACC, minus Duke, also has three wins. Ditto the Big East, except Marquette. The Mountain West needs a UNLV today to avoid going 0-fer.
Big Ten (6) 3-0
Southeastern (5) 1-0
Atlantic Coast (7) 3-1
Big East (6) 3-1
Pac-10 (6) 2-1
Atlantic 10 (2) 1-1
Big 12 (4) 1-1
Colonial (2) 1-1
Horizon League (2) 1-1
Missouri Valley (2) 0-0
Western Athletic (2) 0-0
Mountain West (2) 0-1
East Regional
At Spokane, Wash.
No. 4 Texas (24-9) vs. No. 13 N.M. State (25-8), 5:25 p.m.: The Longhorns’ four starting freshmen will be more challenge than the Aggies have seen all season.
No. 5 USC (23-11) vs. No. 12 Arkansas (21-13), 30 minutes after: The Trojans have been inconsistent but have shown signs of greatness, which they’ll need to slow the Razorbacks’ outside game.
Midwest Regional
At Chicago
No. 7 UNLV (28-6) vs. No. 10 Georgia Tech (20-11), 10:25 a.m.: The Rebels have been climbing as quickly as the Yellow Jackets have been falling.
No. 2 Wisconsin (29-5) vs. No. 15 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (26-6), 30 minutes after: If Brian Butch (elbow) returns earlier than expected, it shouldn’t be an issue for the Badgers.
At Spokane, Wash.
No. 6 Notre Dame (24-7) vs. No. 11 Winthrop (28-4), 12:35 p.m.: The Eagles went undefeated in the Big South and could challenge the Fighting Irish.
No. 3 Oregon (26-7) vs. No. 14 Miami, Ohio (18-14), 30 minutes after: Miami hasn’t allowed 70 points this season, but Oregon can be deadly from long range.
At New Orleans
No. 8 Arizona (20-10) vs. No. 9 Purdue (21-11), 5:20 p.m.: Enough with the stories about the ’97 Wildcats. Even the players are tired of hearing about that team.
No. 1 Florida (29-5) vs. No. 16 Jackson State (21-13), 30 minutes after: Talent alone will lead the Gators, who probably could start four and win if they can stop high-scoring guard Trey Johnson.
South Regional
At Columbus, Ohio
No. 4 Virginia (20-10) vs. No. 13 Albany (23-9), 10:15 a.m.: The Danes scared UConn last season in an opener and now get a chance to shock the Cavaliers.
No. 5 Tennessee (22-10) vs. No. 12 Long Beach State (24-7), 30 minutes after: Aaron Nixon, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, is averaging 18.6 points and 4.9 rebounds for the 49ers of the Big West.
At New Orleans
No. 2 Memphis (30-3) vs. No. 15 North Texas (23-10), 10:30 a.m.: The Tigers’ depth makes it hard for opponents to keep up, especially in the second half.
No. 7 Nevada (28-4) vs. No. 10 Creighton (22-10), 30 minutes after: Probably the best matchup of the day. The Bluejays have a solid senior backcourt, which is crucial in the postseason.
West Regional
At Chicago
No. 1 Kansas (30-4) vs. No. 16 Niagara (23-11), 5:10 p.m.: The only thing the Purple Eagles have is momentum, winning 14 of their past 15. However, the Jayhawks have won 14 straight.
No. 8 Kentucky (21-11) vs. No. 9 Villanova (22-10), 30 minutes after: Kentucky, playing for Tubby Smith’s job, needs every ounce of energy not to get bounced.
At Columbus, Ohio
No. 5 Virginia Tech (21-11) vs. No. 12 Illinois (23-11), 5:10 p.m.: The Hokies are on a hot streak, and with solid senior guards could move on easily.
No. 4 Southern Illinois (27-6) vs. No. 13 Holy Cross (25-8), 30 minutes after: The Crusaders play solid defense, holding opponents to an average of 57.4 points.
GOING TO SEED
Duke weeps; nines sweep
Duke’s early ouster was the biggest surprise of the day, but Penn challenging Texas A&M made for an interesting second half. Meanwhile, the 9s swept the 8s. A look at how each seeding group fared on the first day of the tournament:
No. 1: No worries 2-0
No. 2: Easy-peasy 2-0
No. 3: A&M survives 3-0
No. 4: Terps stroll 1-0
No. 5: Butler skates 1-0
No. 6: Duke’s done 2-1
No. 7: BC bonus 2-0
No. 8: Tough day 0-2
No. 9: Izzo rolls 2-0
No. 10: Zags hurting 0-2
No. 11: VCU shocker 1-2
No. 12: ODU packing 0-1
No. 13: Nice try 0-1
No. 14: Penn dared 0-3
No. 15: Lost by 53 0-2
No. 16: No chance 0-2
Midwest Regional
At Buffalo, N.Y.
No. 4 Maryland 82
No. 13 Davidson 70
No. 5 Butler 57,
No. 12 Old Dominion 46
West Regional
At Buffalo, N.Y.
No. 3 Pittsburgh 79,
No. 14 Wright St. 58
No. 11 VCU 79,
No. 6 Duke 77
At Sacramento, Calif.
No. 2 UCLA 70,
No. 15 Weber St. 42
No. 7 Indiana 70,
No. 10 Gonzaga 57
South Regional
At Lexington, Ky.
No. 1 Ohio State 78,
No. 16 Cent. Conn. St. 57
No. 3 Texas A&M 68,
No. 14 Penn 52
No. 6 Louisville 78,
No. 11 Stanford 58
No. 9 Xavier 79,
No. 8 BYU 77
East Regional
At Winston-Salem, N.C.
No. 1 N. Carolina 86,
No. 16 E. Kentucky 65
No. 2 Georgetown 80,
No. 15 Belmont 55
At Winston-Salem, N.C.
No. 7 Boston College 84,
No. 10 Texas Tech 75
No. 9 Michigan St. 61,
No. 8 Marquette 49
At Sacramento, Calif.
No. 3 Wash. St. 70,
No. 14 Oral Roberts 54
No. 6 Vanderbilt 77,
No. 11 Geo. Wash. 44
