The Thrill of Victory After 310 Tries

No. 1 for a night: Caltech's basketball team started losing before these guys were born.

March Madness is almost upon us. And for NCAA Division III teams the bracket is already out.

One school that will navigate the weird 61-team draw to experience the thrills of winning it all (I'm hoping it's my alma mater).

But, it's hard to imagine the feeling will be greater than what a fellow DIII school experienced last Tuesday.

Caltech, known for its brains not its brawn, won its first league basketball game in 310 tries. That's 26 years of being a doormat.

I've played on my fair share of bad teams from little league to high school and college intramurals, but I can't fathom a lifetime of conference losing.

The streak dated back to Jan. 23, 1985, before its current players were even born.

Google bound Ryan Elmquist hit the winning free-throw with 3.3 seconds left lifting his team to the 46-45 win over Occidental, starting a completely appropriate storming of the court celebration.

Caltech ended its season with five wins in all, none bigger than the fifth.

Musing on March Madness

We are are little over an hour away from the start of March Madness and the much anticipated release of the NCAA tournament brackets. And for me news comes as a relief.

All the bubble talk involving schools like St. Mary's and Arizona would normally be engrossing. But that hasn't been the case this year. I blame ESPN.

For the entire college basketball season they've been running their field of 65 projections known as 'bracketology'. But over the past few days it seems like bracketologist Joe Lunardi has been doing hourly updates. There's no escaping it if you want to watch any conference tourney finals. Lundari is everywhere on ESPN's multiple platforms. Good news, the over saturation is about to end.

One other last thing. After watching the UNC-Virginia Tech ACC quarterfinal, the NCAA needs change the foul rules in the final minutes of a game. The Tar Heels stymied Va. Tech's final possession by fouling because they were under the bonus.

It's great strategy, but hard to stomach. I wanted the see the game play out, not bog down. The NCAA should take after the NBA and in the final minute if a team is under the bonus, they can only incur one foul without penalty. It would help add to excitement knowing a team could run a play, not just inbound the ball three times.

Anyway, time to countdown the final minutes. There should be mayhem in the coming weeks.

For Gonzaga the slipper still fits

As we inch toward the NCAA tournament everyone is trying to figure out who this year's Cinderella team is. One Cinderella is planning to make another tournament appearance, expect today they've morphed into colossus. I'm talking about that mid-sized Jesuit university in Spokane, Wash., Gonzaga.

Ten years ago, Gonzaga exploded onto the national scene with an improbable run to the Elite Eight. They were the story of the tournament, winning their first postseason game. But Gonzaga kept the success going making appearances in the Sweet 16 both in 2000 and 2001, eventually turning into a Top 25 mainstay.

However, it seems like the Zags have entered a fairy-tale netherworld with stagnating success and are in desperate need image overhaul. For the first time in 10 years, the Bulldogs have been eliminated from the NCAA tournament in the opening round in consecutive seasons. And the enduring image of Gonzaga (seen right) is star guard Adam Morrison crumpled to the floor in 2006 tournament, crying after an epic collapse to UCLA.

Will this Zags team be any different? We'll find out soon enough, but I think they can make a run. Gonzaga is ranked in the top 10 nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Forward Josh Heytvelt is showing his potential to dominate, potential he showed before after schooling UNC's Tyler Hansbrough in MSG. With senior Jeremy Pargo leading the charge, the pieces are in place to erase their past failures.

Mario's miracle the exception

After a tournament of blow outs and a general lack of drama, the national championship game delivered. We were certainly due, and finally after weeks of mediocre games we got our just dessert.

Memphis' epic collapse was capped off by Mario Chalmers miracle 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds remaining in regulation. Kansas pulled away in overtime, cruising to a 75-68 victory and their first championship title since Danny his bunch of Miracles won 20 years ago. It was a fitting finale for sure.

So as everyone offers up their opinions on this day after, here’s my take on this year's Final Four.

First, for all his psycho-babble Memphis coach John Calipari was flat out wrong, free-throws matter. The Tigers were ranked 339th of the country's 341 teams in free-throw shooting during the regular season. That proved to be their Achilles heel. It was ironic that Memphis crashed with two of their best shooters, Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts, making only one of five from the charity stripe over the last 1:12. Or maybe it was poetic justice since the Tigers had made 50 of their last 59 foul shots entering Monday's final. It sure was not a clutch performance.

Another hot topic today is consideration that Memphis should have fouled Kansas guard Sherron Collins before he could have dished the ball. Those were the apparent instructions from Coach Calipari, but the Memphis players did not execute. Personally, I think the Tigers choose the best strategy. I’m a huge fan of making players take and make the big shots; plus putting a Jayhawk on the line with a stopped clock may have yielded the same result.

Finally, there's been a lot of discussion about UNC coach Roy Williams' 'wardrobe malfunction.' Williams after all wore a big Jayhawk sticker in broad view Monday night. That's after Kansas manhandled his Tar Heels during the semifinals, Jayhawks by 18. SI.com' Ted Keith (a UNC alum) wrote "[Williams] first priority should be to UNC, not Kansas, and there was a way to show his divided loyalty that would have been appropriate. He chose to do it in and with inappropriate fashion." I find the whole situation both humorous and stupid. Come on Roy; don’t wear paraphernalia of a team that just stomped you into oblivion. I would still put this below LeBron (Mr. Cleveland) James’ when he wore a Yankees hat to New York-Cleveland playoff game.

In summary this year's tournament just lacked something. No, the tourney wasn't lacking Arizona State, albeit a whopping majority (three of four) voters in my FPS poll thought they deserved a chance to dance. Villanova proved they belonged. The David verse Goliath drama was lacking. Sure, the slipper fit Davidson, who made a Gonzaga-esque run after knocking the Zags out in round one. But with just three memorable games out of 65, this year’s March wasn’t mad enough.

Northwest hoops hysteria

It’s great a time to be a hoops fan in the Northwest.

On Monday night, Gonzaga thumped Santa Clara clinching their eighth consecutive West Coast Conference title. In the opening five minutes GU harassed Santa Clara and jumped out to a 12-0 lead. It only got uglier from there. The Zags continued an unprecedented string of dominance, now having won 10 of the past 11 WCC titles. Holding rankings in both top 25 polls, the Zags are getting primed for yet another NCAA tournament run.

Just 90 miles south in Pullman, typical Pac-10 doormat Washington State is almost a lock for its second-consecutive NCAA bid. The Cougars hit a rough patch in late January dropping four of five games, but bounced back winning four in a row. A disappointing loss at No. 8 Stanford over the weekend wasn’t a bad thing. Guards Kyle Weaver and Derrick Low will lead the stingy Cougs into March again. It’s a surprise, considering the recruiting mecca the Palouse is.

And yes, even Idaho Vandal fans have reason to smile. Not only has the men’s team doubled its win total from a year ago (four to eight), but the team boasts a two-game win streak heading into their regular season finale. Also, former Vandal women’s star Leilani Mitchell is thriving in her new home in Salt Lake. Mitchell transferred to Utah after her high school and Idaho assistant and her two high school teammates left. The 5-foot-5 guard is fifth in the nation in assists per game (7.2) and paces the No. 15 Utes. Mitchell is garnering national attention, first by SI’s Kelli Anderson and then by ESPN’s Graham Hays. Great to see her playing well and getting credit where credit is do.

Unfortunately, there’s little solace to be found in Seattle. However, ESPN’s Bill Simmons did a fantastic job accumulated nearly 15,000 words of anguished e-mails from Sonics fans finally giving a voice and national publicity to the pending departure of Seattle’s beloved NBA franchise.

Simmons writes “…This isn't a case that you can say, ‘You know, I kind of understand both sides here.’ There is only one side. An NBA team is getting hijacked and there's no way of sugarcoating it, defending it or justifying it. Again, if it happens to the Sonics, it could happen to your team. That’s why you should care.” And that’s why you should read on.

Now, Simmons published a sequel to his "Save The Sonics" piece, including a possible solution David Stern could facilitate – “assuming he cares at all about not murdering the Sonics in Seattle.” That is eerily familiar to another solution brought to light here.

In parting, ESPN’s Jim Caple takes a humorous shot at David Stern and his passive approach to keep Seattle a viable NBA market in this biting piece, which I highly recommend.

Blogger’s Note: How could I leave out my Alma mater. That’s right the Whitworth men’s basketball team, champions of the Northwest Conference, earned a first round bye in the NCAA Division III Tournament. That was a truly shocking development, due to a recent number of snubs by the NCAA for past brilliance. Can someone say make-up call? Anyway, the best of luck to them, go Pirates!

On the Bubble: The Lumbering Big’s

Big men undoubtedly dominate the professional ranks, but in the “Big” conferences (Big East, XII, and 10) they are vital. The bashers, the bruisers get filthy points and scrap for the shards off the glass. Names like Hunter and Butch share the post; there is no Love in this paint. The epitome of the “Big’s” big man is Hoya Roy Hibbert. A towering 7’2”, the awkward center lumbers, feet cemented to the court. One question remains, where do these teams whose style of basketball resembles the gridiron-play stand? Here’s the FPS breakdown.

Punched Ticket Already: Big East – Georgetown, Louisville, Norte Dame, Marquette, UConn Big 10 – Indiana, Wisconsin, Purdue, Michigan State Big 12 – Kansas, Texas

Pretty Much In: Big East – Pittsburgh

On the Bubble…

Kansas State (18-9, 8-5) [Big 12] – K-State is guided by prodigy Michael Beasley, who now holds the school record for most games with 30 points or more (11). Beasley wasn’t a one man wrecking crew against Texas, but the Wildcats are sitting pretty for now. They could still use a marquee win, but nonconference losses to George Mason, Notre Dame, Oregon and Xavier aren’t bad. Verdict: K-State needs their dancing shoes shined, they’ll be in

West Virginia (18-8, 8-6) [Big East] – The Mountaineers are currently sixth in the Big East, which appears in position to get at least seven bids. RPI and SOS look decent (both in top 50). WVU best nonconference game was a two-point loss to Tennessee, nothing special. Verdict: WVU doesn’t get Pittsnogled; Huggins turns in another 20 win season with a tourney bid

Oklahoma (18-9, 6-6) [Big 12] – The Sooners top 30 RPI and top 10 SOS are a great resume starter. Out of the conference, Oklahoma lost to Memphis and USC, but also grabbed neutral court wins over Gonzaga and West Virginia. A disappointing three-game skid isn’t a dagger. Verdict: Make it a solid four from the Big XII, Sooners get in

Texas A&M (20-7, 6-6) [Big 12] – The Aggies are mired in a giant mess. After starting the year 15-1, A&M has dropped three straight. Nonconference wins over UTEP, Washington, Alabama and LSU are a collective meh. Boasting top 50 RPI helps, SOS isn’t spectacular. Verdict: Aggies have the inside track; make it five for the Big 12

Syracuse (17-11, 7-8) [Big East] – The Cuse are America’s perpetual bubble team. Again the Orange have strong RPI and SOS rankings, but didn’t do much with a mediocre nonconference slate. Home losses to UMass and Rhode Island are troubling with both teams also in the bubble puzzle. Verdict: TBD, I’m not going to definitively say, until the Orange lose in the Garden

Baylor (18-8, 6-6) [Big 12] – The Bears were in great position to earn a bid a month ago, but then dropped six of seven league games. Right now, they are still in decent position. Wins over Notre Dame and Winthrop are great, their loss to Arkansas, RPI and SOS are on just above par. Verdict: Looks like that five overtime win will be Baylor’s season highlight, tentatively out

Villanova (17-10, 7-8) [Big East] – The Cats have a soft schedule to end Big East play, but are below .500 in the league. RPI and SOS aren’t bad, but Nova’s true stand out games were both controversial losses. Questionable calls didn’t go their way against NC State and Georgetown. Verdict: It’s not the Wildcats year, can someone say NIT?

Ohio State (17-11, 8-7) [Big 10] – The Buckeyes are clearly the fifth best team in the Big 10. Unfortunately, there’s an immense gap between teams four and five. The Buckeyes fell to Indiana, which drops their record to 1-9 against teams in the RPI top 50. Wins over Syracuse and Florida are good for the soul, but not much else. Verdict: Last year’s National runner-up gets left out

On The Bubble: Southern Snooze-fest

We’ve entered the final month of the college basketball season, so it’s time to check in on the next batch of Bubble teams. Saying the ACC is having a lackluster year could be the understatement of the year. And watching basketball in the SEC is almost as boring as watching SEC football. So where do these southern schools stand?

Punched Ticket Already: ACC – Duke , North Carolina SEC – Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Pretty Much In: ACC – Clemson SEC – Mississippi State, Arkansas

On the Bubble…

Maryland (17-10, 7-5) [ACC] – Fear the Turtle? Maryland had won four in a row, before stumbling and losing two of their last three. However, the Terps won’t see Duke or UNC again and should get to 10 wins in the conference. RPI is good, not great, SOS helps. If Maryland separates from the rest of the ACC, they have a great chance. Verdict: TBD, it seems like the Terps are heading south at the moment, but they have the inside track

Mississippi (18-7, 4-7) [SEC] – Lose two, win one, the Rebels are stuck in a dire pattern right now. Some are already saying the Rebels could be this year’s Clemson, whom they beat earlier in the year. Mississippi is sitting better than others, and they went perfect (14-0) in nonconference play. The Rebs two point loss versus Tennessee is pretty much a win. Verdict: Falling RPI doesn’t kill them, Mississippi becomes the sixth SEC team in

Wake Forest (16-8, 6-5) [ACC] – After the Demon Deacons upset of Duke, they’ve won three straight in the ACC and eclipse the .500 mark in the ACC. Wake didn’t have a marquee win until Sunday, but they also don’t have a bad loss. Strength of Schedule is one weakness; RPI is only sixth best in the conference. Verdict: Next two games could decide their fate. Wake must get to 20 wins to make the Tourney as a ‘feel-good’ story, but tentatively out

Miami, FL (18-7, 5-6) [ACC] – The Hurricanes were ranked in the top 25 at one point in the season, but have been bi-polar since conference play started. Winners now of three in a row, they still have a lot of ground to make up. Miami has respectable wins over Mississippi State, VCU and Providence and now Duke, but that’s not enough. Verdict: The Canes are going to on the outside of the brackets, despite top 30 RPI and SOS

Florida (20-7, 7-5) [SEC] – The Gators’ 12-point home loss to LSU is a ridiculous blemish on the tournament resume. However, the defending National Champs just keep winning. Florida’s RPI is not spectacular, SOS is just plain ugly. Verdict: Already at 20 wins the Gators needs four more to ensure an invite. It’s hard to imagine Florida won’t receive a mercy bid

Kentucky (14-10, 8-3) [SEC] – Ever wonder if Billy Gillispie wishes he’d stayed in Texas? Sure the Wildcats are tied for second-place in the SEC right now, but each of their ten losses seems memorable: Gardner-Webb, UNC, Indiana, UAB, San Diego, Louisville, oh yeah, and Vandy. The Cats last lost (to the Commodores) was the most lopsided SEC loss ever! Kentucky has top 25 SOS, but their RPI is in the low 70s. Verdict: Kentucky must earn the automatic bid, otherwise they’re out.

On the Bubble: Mid-Majors

The countdown to Selection Sunday is on!

Less than five weeks away to NCAA men’s basketball tournament and the regular season is setting up for a dramatic finish. Still, there’s lots of basketball left and the biggest thing for any team is to keep winning.

That rings especially true for teams sitting on the Bubble. FPS will break down bubble teams in the coming weeks and make predictions if they’ll make the field or not. A good place to start is with a deep field of mid-major’s that could grab 25 percent of the at-large selections.

Punched Ticket Already: Memphis, Butler, Xavier, Drake, St. Mary’s, Gonzaga

On the Bubble…

Rhode Island (20-4) [A10] – The Rams boast nonconference wins over Syracuse and Providence and remain in the top 25 in RPI. Overall strength of schedule (SOS) is mediocre; Rhode Island avoided disaster in Fordham and should finish the year with at least 25 wins. Verdict: Rams get in, easily

Dayton (16-6) [A10] – The Flyers were a clear NCAA team before being hampered by injuries. They beat Louisville and Pitt out of the conference during a 14-1 start. RPI and SOS remain in the top 25, but Dayton is flirting with dangerous slope in the Atlantic-10 standings (4-5). Verdict: Flyers will make the field

UMass (15-8) [A10] – The Minutemen appear to be on solid ground when looking at RPI (24) and SOS (9). UMass has defeated Syracuse, BC, Houston, but got swept by St. Joe’s and lost to A10 leader Xavier recently. Verdict: UMass needs at least 20 wins to be the A10’s fourth team, they have the inside track

Saint Joseph’s (15-7) [A10] – Saint Joe's is currently tied with Rhode Island for second in the A10. Four of the Hawks seven losses were “quality,” two in overtime (Gonzaga and Creighton) and two more in the final-possession (Syracuse and Holy Cross). The Hawks cannot afford to go 4-3 in their final seven games. Verdict: Hawks may need to get to the conference finals…tentatively out

Charlotte (14-8) [A10] – The 49ers are the A10 dark horse to make the field, but the pressure is off them. RPI and SOS are mediocre at best; boast wins over Clemson, Wake Forest, Davidson and Southern Illinois. Charlotte must finish in the top four in the league. Verdict: Niners must get at least 20 wins and make the semis of the A10 tourney…to be determined, a complete wildcard

George Mason (17-7) [CAA] – Cinderella from two season’s ago is back, hoping to burst someone else’s bubble. The Patriots get another shot at Colonial leading VCU soon. GMU defeated a healthy Dayton squad, Kansas State and South Carolina, but have an unpretentious RPI and SOS. Verdict: If the Pats define themselves as the clear No. 2 in the CAA, a little love gets them in

Ohio (16-7) [MAC] – Ohio is a perfect bubble team. The Bobcats beat Maryland and St. John’s on the road, but got smashed by Kansas and lost to MAC bottom feeder Eastern Michigan. Inconsistent play has hurt, but Ohio has a real chance to improve its status with upcoming games against Kent State, Akron and George Mason. Verdict: RPI/SOS will be too much to overcome, bubble burst alert

Creighton (17-6) [MVC] – Hit a rough patch losing three in a row, but the Bluejays are a tournament favorite. Wins over DePaul, Nebraska and Saint Joe’s are respectable as is their RPI and SOS. Winner’s of three in a row, Creighton needs to finish strong. Verdict: Bluejays sneak into the field of 65

UNLV (18-5) [MWC] – The Rebels are a paper tiger. They have slightly better than their main Mountain West competition (BYU) on-paper, but nonconference losses to San Diego, UCSB and Arizona are easily forgotten. Best win, a 29-point drubbing of Brigham. Verdict: no chance for at-large bid, must win MWC tourney in Vegas

Brigham Young (18-5) [MWC] – The Cougars graced the AP top 25 for several weeks early in the season. Solid RPI and decent SOS paired with competitive losses to North Carolina and Michigan State has them in good shape for an at-large bid. Most importantly BYU has won six in a row. Verdict: Cougs will be a testy first-round opponent, stealing an at-large bid