The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

2015 Selection Sunday

The time has come. Even the most casual fans are picking their alma maters and penciling in teams for their office pools. It's one of the most exciting days in the year of sports. Some teams will get the thrill of knowing they're in the big dance, while others are watching simply to know who they're going to face. So let's get to it.

East Regional

#1 Kansas vs Play-In (Montana State vs IPFW)
#8 Loyola Marymount v #9 Georgia
#5 Texas Tech vs #12 UC Santa Barbara
#4 Arizona vs #13 Kent State
#6 Connecticut vs #11 Missouri State
#3 Oklahoma vs #14 Harvard
#7 Oklahoma State vs #10 Arkansas
#2 Marshall vs #15 Detroit

They may be the top seed, but Kansas may also have the easiest road to the Final Four. The Jayhawks can run with anybody and would be a matchup nightmare for slower paced teams like Marshall and Oklahoma. Also, don't sleep on UC Santa Barbara and Arkansas. Both teams are much more talented than their double digit seeds indicate. This bracket could have a number of upsets, but look for Kansas to escape relatively unscathed.

South Regional
#1 Drexel vs #16 McNeese State
#8 Stanford vs #9 Delaware
#5 Michigan State vs #12 Stetson
#4 Washington vs #13 Holy Cross
#6 Clemson vs #11 Florida
#3 Memphis vs #14 Brigham Young
#7 Texas vs #10 Richmond
#2 Missouri vs #15 Austin Peay

Missouri believes they are a #1 seed, and Memphis does not think they should be a #3. Expect to see a lot of slighted teams in this bracket work to prove their doubters wrong. One intriguing team in the South is Texas, who could be playing in front of a home crowd in Houston if they make it to the second weekend. Don't forget, the Longhorns were ranked #1 in the preseason and were in the Top 5 until they finished a mediocre 6th place in the Big 12. Florida is also a trendy upset pick over Clemson. Finally, maybe the biggest disappointment of this regional is the Committee placing Drexel and Delaware in the same pod. Many were hoping to see what the Blue Hens could do outside of Drexel's shadow.

Midwest Regional
#1 Louisville vs #16 VMI
#8 Charlotte vs #9 Arizona State
#5 Notre Dame vs #12 Ole Miss
#4 Seton Hall vs #13 UL Lafayette
#6 Purdue vs #11 Xavier
#3 Wisconsin vs #14 San Francisco
#7 Houston vs #10 USC
#2 NC State vs #15 UNC Greensboro

Louisville and NC State are the two teams to beat in this field, and it would not be a surprise if they faced each other in the Elite 8. Seton Hall is also hot, but their long range game could face a major road block in the 2nd round against the #1 perimeter defense in the county in Notre Dame. Of all the brackets, this one seems to be the least likely to have an upset.

West Regional
#1 Ohio State vs #16 Hartford
#8 Baylor vs #9 Villanova
#5 Fairfield vs #12 Norfolk State
#4 West Virginia vs #13 Miss. Valley State
#6 Syracuse vs #11 S. Illinois
#3 North Carolina vs #14 C. Connecticut
#7 Oregon State vs #10 Penn State
#2 Utah State vs #15 UAB

Of all of the teams who could be poised for a breakout, North Carolina could be the one most capable of busting out of the West. Ohio State has experience and talent but is undersized. Utah State has experience, but is defensively challenged. Some would say the Tar Heels are a 4 seed at best, but the Committee thought otherwise and put them in a good position to advance. And although fans never like seeing smaller schools like Fairfield and Norfolk State pitted against each other in the first round, it could still be a great game. Like any other 12 seed, don't count out the Spartans.

Bubble Watch

Teams In:
Arkansas
Richmond
Xavier
Florida
Missouri State

Teams Out:
LSU
Oregon
Indiana
UC Riverside
Mississippi State

A number of people will be furious with Missouri State getting the final spot in the field the over power conference teams who were left out in the cold. But credit the committee, the Bears did not have a single "bad" loss and did everything they could to get into the tournament except win the MVC tournament. Missouri State was justly rewarded with a spot in the dance because the team took care of business for the whole season.

Seeding Reaction

It's a relief to get a #1 seed but the challenges are going to come quickly. Sure, the Dragons started the season 32-0 but at this stage everything might as well reset back to 0-0. Hopefully this is where the team's experience making it to the Elite Eight pays off. Only one rotation player is missing from last year's team, and the Dragons get a lot more production out of Morandais this year than the departed Manjlovic. But the Dragons will once again need to rely on Femi Ramsey. Other power conference teams have all kinds of talented and lauded recruits. The Dragons only have one and a bunch of pieces who work well together. It will be up to everyone to support each other, because as a #1 seed the Dragons are not sneaking up on anyone this year.

Expect to hear more from Coach West and his assessment of potential opponents as game day gets closer.

Get in your picks while you still can!

[Knickerbocker91]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Round of 64
#1 Kansas over #16 Montana State
#9 Georgia over #8 LMU
#5 Texas Tech over #12 UC Santa Barbara
#4 Arizona over #13 Kent State
#6 UConn over #11 Missouri State
#3 Oklahoma over #14 Harvard
#10 Arkansas over #7 Oklahoma State
#2 Marshall over #15 Detroit

#1 Drexel over #16 McNesse State
#9 Delaware over #8 Stanford
#5 Michigan State over #12 Stetson
#4 Washington over #13 Holy Cross
#11 Florida over #6 Clemson
#3 Memphis over #14 BYU
#7 Texas over #10 Richmond
#2 Missouri over #15 Austin Peay

#1 Louisville over #16 VMI
#8 Charlotte over #9 Arizona State
#5 Notre Dame over #12 Ole Miss
#4 Seton Hall over #13 UL Lafayette
#11 Xavier over #6 Purdue
#3 Wisconsin over #14 San Francisco
#10 USC over #7 Houston
#2 NC State over #15 UNC Greensboro

#1 Ohio State over #16 Hartford
#9 Villanova over #8 Baylor
#12 Norfolk State over #5 Fairfield
#4 West Virginia over #13 MVSU
#6 Syracuse over #11 S. Illinois
#3 North Carolina over #14 C. Connecticut
#7 Oregon State over #10 Penn State
#2 Utah State over #15 UAB

Round of 32
#1 Kansas over #9 Georgia
#4 Arizona over #5 Texas Tech
#3 Oklahoma over #6 UConn
#10 Arkansas over #2 Marshall

#1 Drexel over #9 Delaware
#5 Michigan State over #4 Washington
#3 Memphis over #11 Florida
#2 Missouri over #7 Texas

#1 Louisville over #8 Charlotte
#5 Notre Dame over #4 Seton Hall
#3 Wisconsin over #6 Purdue
#2 NC State over #7 Houston

#1 Ohio State over #9 Villanova
#4 West Virginia over #12 Norfolk State
#3 North Carolina over #6 Syracuse
#2 Utah State over #7 Oregon State

Sweet 16
#1 Kansas over #4 Arizona
#3 Oklahoma over #10 Arkansas

#1 Drexel over #5 Michigan State
#2 Missouri over #3 Memphis

#5 Notre Dame over #1 Louisville
#2 NC State over #3 Wisconsin

#1 Ohio State over #4 West Virginia
#3 North Carolina over #2 Utah State

Elite 8
#1 Kansas over #3 Oklahoma
#1 Drexel over #2 Missouri
#2 NC State over #5 Notre Dame
#3 North Carolina over #1 Ohio State

Final Four
#1 Kansas over #1 Drexel
#3 North Carolina over #2 NC State

National Championship
#1 Kansas over #3 North Carolina

[VandyRedskins21]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

It's always great to see Vandy not getting upset in the first round...

Great write-up as usual!

[delija66]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Congrats on the CAA title and a perfect season!

btw I got Ohio St. to win it all

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

@Knick: Good luck with those picks!

It's always great to see Vandy not getting upset in the first round...

Great write-up as usual!

Well, the Commodores had a pretty terrible second half of the season. They somehow finished 15-14, but went 5-11 in SEC play. If it's small consolation, the Dores did beat Kentucky (15-16 though). Final RPI of 86 and the two best players on the team got Drafted in the NBA (one senior one junior).

Maybe next year.

Congrats on the CAA title and a perfect season!

btw I got Ohio St. to win it all

I'm gonna hold you to that. And thanks for the grats!

[HarkTheSound]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Round of 64
#1 Kansas over #16 Montana State
#9 Georgia over #8 LMU
#12 UC Santa Barbara over #5 Texas Tech
#4 Arizona over #13 Kent State
#11 Missouri State over #6 UConn
#3 Oklahoma over #14 Harvard
#10 Arkansas over #7 Oklahoma State
#2 Marshall over #15 Detroit

#1 Drexel over #16 McNesse State
#9 Delaware over #8 Stanford
#5 Michigan State over #12 Stetson
#4 Washington over #13 Holy Cross
#11 Florida over #6 Clemson
#3 Memphis over #14 BYU
#7 Texas over #10 Richmond
#2 Missouri over #15 Austin Peay

#1 Louisville over #16 VMI
#9 Arizona State over #8 Charlotte
#5 Notre Dame over #12 Ole Miss
#4 Seton Hall over #13 UL Lafayette
#6 Purdue over #11 Xavier
#3 Wisconsin over #14 San Francisco
#10 USC over #7 Houston
#2 NC State over #15 UNC Greensboro

#1 Ohio State over #16 Hartford
#8 Baylor over #9 Villanova
#12 Norfolk State over #5 Fairfield
#4 West Virginia over #13 MVSU
#6 Syracuse over #11 S. Illinois
#3 North Carolina over #14 C. Connecticut
#7 Oregon State over #10 Penn State
#2 Utah State over #15 UAB

Round of 32
#1 Kansas over #9 Georgia
#4 Arizona over #12 UC Santa Barbara
#3 Oklahoma over #11 Missouri State
#10 Arkansas over #2 Marshall

#1 Drexel over #9 Delaware
#5 Michigan State over #4 Washington
#3 Memphis over #11 Florida
#2 Missouri over #7 Texas

#1 Louisville over #9 Arizona State
#5 Notre Dame over #4 Seton Hall
#3 Wisconsin over #6 Purdue
#2 NC State over #10 USC

#1 Ohio State over #8 Baylor
#12 Norfolk State over #4 West Virginia
#3 North Carolina over #6 Syracuse
#2 Utah State over #7 Oregon State

Sweet 16
#1 Kansas over #4 Arizona
#3 Oklahoma over #10 Arkansas

#1 Drexel over #5 Michigan State
#2 Missouri over #3 Memphis

#1 Louisville over #5 Notre Dame
#2 NC State over #3 Wisconsin

#1 Ohio State over #12 Norfolk State
#3 North Carolina over #2 Utah State

Elite 8
#1 Kansas over #3 Oklahoma
#2 Missouri over #1 Drexel
#1 Louisville over #2 NC State
#3 North Carolina over #1 Ohio State

Final Four
#1 Kansas over #2 Missouri
#3 North Carolina over #1 Louisville

National Championship
#3 North Carolina over #1 Kansas

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Albany Another Step on Drexel's Path

The team's practice time is over, and almost everyone clears out of the gym for a scheduled break before a team lunch. After much work, the nets sit still, the backboards glisten with faint basketball shaped oil prints, and the lights dim. Coach West takes a moment to reflect, as he often does, before locking up.

Five years ago, Guy West was a traveling adjunct professor struggling to find a full time job. The unreal transition from teacher to top college coach has not been lost on West, especilly since he as limited prior basketball experience and was not even looking to be involved in athletics when he landed his big break at Norfolk State.

Some would say West was hired as someone to keep the seat warm or to take the blame, but that is not how he characterizes it today. "I am always thankful to all of the opportunities I have been give. It's easy for me to stay humble because I have worked with so many people who have spent so much of their lives making this game their own. I have been fortunate to have so much early success, but it is a credit to the student athletes I have been able to work with and those who gave me an opportunity."

And that attitude may be what has helped reshape Drexel's culture. Before Coach West arrived, Drexel was not a foreign location to talented recruits. Drexel had even challenged for the CAA title as recently as 2011. But with little roster turnover, things fell apart as the Dragons would only win 10 games each of the next two seasons. With that kind of drop off, a coaching change was inevitable. But that can't be the only reason behind Drexel's improvement.

"The difference with when I got here versus where we are now starts with ego," commented Senior Captain Joshua Payton, "Coach West is confident. He believes he can win. But when it comes to his players, his team, he checks his ego at the door. And he expects all of his players to do the same. I've seen a lot of people walk that walk over the years. But Coach lives it. There are no stars in his locker room, and everyone needs to buy in."

Consider the team bought in. Drexel surprised everyone by turning an Elite 8 run last season into a perfect record this season. There is plenty of talent on the Dragons roster, but it would be wrong to say no one player stands out. If the NBA scouts constantly in attendance in the Daskalakis Center mean anything, saying there is no one "star" would be far from the truth.

"My freshman year I kept hearing the same thing. 'You're one and done' and 'You're too good' and that kind of stuff," said Femi Ramsey, the Dragon's starting center and formerly the #1 rated Center in High School Basketball, "but those were the same people that said I shouldn't go to Philly. Lots of people looking to cover their own butts. They let me do my thing and I did okay. I'd be lying if I said I was a better playing college ball than in high school that first year."

But when asked about how things changed when West arrived, Ramsey had a different take. "For me it was Day 1. He pulled me aside, showed me some game tape from that first season and asked me about it. He didn't pick the nice plays. It shook me at first, but he's a break-you-down then build-you-up kinda guy. I knew I wasn't where I should be, but he knocked down the door the first day we met, put it in my face, and showed me how to change it."

Call it another step in Drexel's evolution. The talent was there or quickly landed there with some good recruiting by West, but talent is not enough against top level competition. West has quickly developed a reputation as an X & O kind of coach, and he described his ability to get ahead of the curve despite his previous career as coming only after "many long nights." But no one in the Drexel locker room ever questioned West's ability to get the most out of his players like some did at Norfolk State.

"We were a team that wanted to be coached," remarked Payton. The coaching came, and to an extent this weekend's slate of games in Albany is a reflection of the evolution Coach West has brought to Drexel over the past two seasons. "The team is focused on winning, not just playing. Advancing to the next round, not just happy to be here. We want to take the next step."

And as a #1 seed, that next step starts with a giant target on the team's back. Despite Drexel's perfect record, there have been many people lined up on the radio and online to fire salvos discrediting the team's achievements or explaining why a mid-major should never be ranked so high. So now the pressure is all on Coach West and company to prove the Committee right. And that starts with taking care of business against the following teams (West's comments below):

McNesse State: "The Cowboys are doing what every team in the Tournament hopes to be doing: getting hot at the right time. They put all the pieces together to win the Southland Tournament, which is a great achievement when you start a freshman at PG and expect him to immediately gel with an experienced starting front court. You can tell it took this team awhile to get to know each other, but they've figured it out now and are playing far better than a 16 seed."

Stanford: "The Cardinal are much like the Cowboys. They struggled in conference play, but parlayed a great run through the PAC10 Tournament to reach the NCAAs. They have had the talent all year, and you look at the tape and ask yourself "How in the world did this team finish 9th in their conference?" They have a lot of shooters to space the floor and move the ball very well. The question is whether they can stay consistent."

Delaware: "We know them and they know us. They have size and speed down low, and that is a deadly combination against a lot of teams in today's college game who are content to work the three point line. They're gritty and they like to fight. I would not be surprised if Delaware out hustled Stanford. The problem is that Delaware does not have nearly as much talent off the bench as it does in their starting five. Skill? Yes. But innate basketball ability? Not when compared to their opponent. It will be interesting to see how the game develops."

[Spoonska]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Oh god... be gentle

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Tournament First Round

There might as well be riots across the nation. Villagers running around with pitchforks burning down the college basketball establishment. Where were you when the revolution came?

Probably not in Albany. While the rest of the college basketball landscape has been turned on its head, things remain the status quo for upset craving fans packing SEFCU Arena. Texas drubbed Richmond, Missouri only allowed 15 first half points against Austin Peay, and Stanford pulled away from Delaware early in the second half. There has been little drama, and not much hope for the "little guys."

But now comes Drexel, the undefeated mid-major doing its best Goliath act in this year's Tournament. Not everyone believes the moniker fits, but the Dragons have size to spare and a defense that can swallow up teams for long stretches. They face McNesse State, who finished 6th in the Southland but pulled off a major coup by beating regular season Champion Nicholls State to win the conference tournament.

Both teams have had long layoffs before tip off, so there are no injury concerns and each team has fresh legs. It should be a good game.

Drexel Keys to the Game

1) Pull the Trigger: McNesse State has some size, but it will be a team effort on defense to slow down Ramsey and company. Their game plan will likely revolve around packing in the paint and daring Drexel to beat them from outside. The Drexel back court needs to be willing to put up shots when they're available instead of forcing plays in the middle.
2) Avoid Injury: Coach West has shown a willingness to keep his rotation unit on the floor late in games that are already won in order to keep momentum going. Well, nothing stops momentum like losing a key player in meaningless minutes. West should put the ghosts of that last Drexel game behind him and lean on his reserves to close out the Cowboys if the game gets out of reach.

McNesse State Keys to the Game

1) Get Bodies on Bodies: Everyone knows the Dragons are one of the most imposing teams in the country, but the Cowboys can do a lot to show they are not backing down early by challenging the Dragons. Duncan Show and Gilbert McLaughlin are both huge bodies who have a tendency to bowl over players when the going gets tough. McNesse State needs Landon Quinn and Hassan Tsafac to not back down or roll over because of Drexel's physical play.
2) It Starts with the Point: McNesse State raised some eyebrows with their decision to go with Najeeb Holden at the point to start the season. He has been learning on the job all season, but paid dividends for the Cowboys in the conference tournament. If Holden can keep his head straight and make positive plays and good decisions, McNeesee State will have a chance at making history.

The winner of today's game will face the Stanford Cardinal, who put on a lights out shooting performance to take out Delaware 75-66. Drexel's size would make an intriguing match-up with the PAC-10 Tournament Champs, but the Cowboys are looking to make history by knocking out a #1 seed. Time to settle things on the court.

#1 Drexel vs #16 McNesse State

The margins of victory for the earlier three 1-16 matchups? 32, 41, and 44. Not in Albany. Drexel may have emerged victorious, but the way in which they won will only fuel doubts about the Dragons' ability to make a deep tournament run.

McNesse State started like no other 16 seed in this year's Tournament: with energy and confidence. The Cowboys were able to match Drexel shot for shot. The Dragons had Femi Ramsey, who was in a class by himself today, but no one else. Perry McCarthy passed up a few good looks and made some head scratching plays that led to easy buckets for the Cowboys in transition. Joshua Payton could not find his shot despite getting the green light from Coach West to keep shooting.

Midway through the first half, Freshman PG Najeeb Holden electrified the crowd by hitting a contested three to give McNesse State their first lead of the game: 28-26. Drexel was in trouble, and oftentimes in games like this it is because of an unsung hero that steps up his game at just the right time. Tonight the Cowboys can point to Sammy Sood's defensive prowess a big factor in keeping McNeese State in the game. The 7'2" freshman had a beautiful rejection of a Duncan Sow dunk to cap three first half blocks. While Sood could only attempt to slow down Ramsey, his defense held the normally potent Sow scoreless in the first half. Sood's presence in the paint was felt by the Dragons. He was a radical element the Dragons had trouble accounting for.

Coach West called a time out to regroup his squad, and to tweak his line up. This did not seem to be a matter of the Dragons underestimating the Cowboys as much as the Cowboys running on raw emotion to elevate their game.

But after that time out and a few adjustments? The Cowboys had no answers. West inserted Woody Morandais at the point and put in Tracy Cottrill in at the power forward slot. The effect was immediate on both ends of the floor, and it didn't stop. What was looking like a potential upset for the ages turned into a romp in a hurry as Drexel closed out the first half with a 18-0 run that turned into a 22-2 run. One giant difference during the run was Femi Ramsey's four blocks -- he would finish the half with five total. The blocks generated quick transition offense, and the Cowboys could not keep up.

The second half would remain competitive, but any time McNesse State started to chip at the lead, the Dragons would answer with a slower half court pace and better jump shooting. Although Sow could never get on track, he got help from Duncan Richard and Josh Payton to pick up the pace. West's decision to switch Payton directly over to Najeeb Holden on defense seemed to confuse the freshman PG, and the defensive stalwart disrupted play after play to keep McNesse State's comeback attempts off track.

Femi Ramsey showed once again he is the cornerstone of the Drexel Dragons that the team is built around with an outstanding stat line (22 points, 11 rebounds, 7 blocks) and a huge game. But it was not just him. The 29-15 bench point differential would make most of the difference as Drexel advances by a final score of 79-61. Despite the win, there are some clouds on the horizon. The Dragons will need to get a lot more out of their starting unit if they have aspirations of reaching the Sweet Sixteen, much less Coach West's stated goal of the Final Four.

McNeese State Cowboys at Drexel Dragons
Mar 16, 2015	1ST	2ND	SCORE
#16 McNeese State (15-13)	30	31	61
#1 Drexel (32-0)	48	31	79

McNeese State Cowboys (RPI: 246 OVR: 72)
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
N. Holden	18	4-11	1-2	0-0	0	3	3	0	0	9
J. Sharp	20	5-14	1-5	0-0	0	5	0	0	2	11
P. Jacobs	25	6-17	1-5	1-2	3	0	0	0	1	14
H. Tsafac	16	3-5	0-0	1-2	7	2	1	0	0	7
L. Quinn	23	1-8	1-1	2-2	7	0	3	1	0	5
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Z. Frank	9	2-4	0-1	0-0	3	0	3	0	1	4
S. Sood	7	1-1	0-0	0-0	2	0	0	3	0	2
P. Defares	1	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
A. Queen	14	2-5	0-0	0-0	3	1	1	0	1	4
M. Martin	3	1-5	1-1	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	3
F. Stone	14	1-3	0-1	0-0	0	2	1	0	1	2
C. Wade	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		26-73	5-16	4-6	25	13	12	4	6	61

Drexel Dragons (RPI: 1 OVR: 83)
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
P. McCarthy	19	1-2	0-1	0-0	1	6	0	0	6	2
J. Payton	20	3-9	1-6	2-2	0	0	0	0	2	9
D. Richard	19	4-7	2-2	0-2	2	3	1	0	0	10
D. Sow	15	2-6	0-0	2-2	8	0	1	1	1	6
F. Ramsey	20	11-17	0-0	0-0	11	2	0	7	0	22
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
T. Cottrill	16	6-8	0-0	1-1	8	2	1	5	1	13
W. Morandais	11	5-8	2-3	0-1	1	4	0	0	2	12
D. Marsh	9	0-0	0-0	1-2	0	1	2	0	0	1
G. McLaughlin	7	1-1	0-0	2-2	3	1	0	0	1	4
J. Vassallo	6	0-2	0-2	0-0	1	1	0	0	1	0
D. Wilson	4	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
R. Burnette	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		33-61	5-14	8-12	35	27	5	13	14	79

Coach's Take: I expect there will be more chatter in the blogsphere tomorrow, but I'm happy with how my team played. We moved the ball well and created good shots -- they just were not going in. Credit has to go to McNesse State for putting up a helluva game. We knew they were an intense group from watching game tape but they came in well prepared. I've told our men from the start that everyone is going to give us their best effort. I would rather have a contested game in the first round that prepares us for Stanford than a blowout that gives us false confidence.

What's Next: #1 Drexel faces #8 Stanford in Albany, NY to see who will advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

2015 First Round Results

The final results are in, and fans are still burning their destroyed brackets in bonfires across the country. This was a historically tumultuous first round concluded with eight double digit seeds ruining title hopes for a number of teams and sending traditional powers stomping home early. It remains to be seen whether the momentum can keep up, but fans could not ask for a much more exciting start to the NCAA tournament. With the field this wide open, it's anyone's guess who will replace Kentucky as National Champions.

East Regional
#1 Kansas 99 #16 Montana State 58
#8 Loyloa Marymount 73 #9 Georgia 92
#5 Texax Tech 94 #12 UC Santa Barbara 63
#4 Arizona 97 #13 Kent State 59
#6 Connecticut 80 #11 Missouri State 85
#3 Oklahoma 87 #14 Harvard 67
# 7 Oklahoma State 68 #10 Arkansas 89
#2 Marshall 83 #15 Detroit 84

Oklahoma fans must be dancing with joy, as Sooner fans adopted the Bears as their own to drown out the Huskies and help push Missouri State over Connecticut. Maybe the most amazing stat is that the Bears led for the entire second half. Meanwhile, Detroit crushed the dreams of the Marshall Thundering Herd on a last second put back, and Arkansas ran all over the floor to take out Oklahoma State. Even with all the excitement, no one looked more deadly and efficient than Kansas, who surgically knocked play-in winner Montana State out of commission.

West Regional
#1 Ohio State 82 #16 Hartford 38
#8 Baylor 75 #9 Villanova 81
#5 Fairfield 101 #12 Norfolk State 89
#4 West Virginia 103 #13 Miss. Valley State 78
#6 Syracuse 72 #11 S. Illinois 68
#3 North Carolina 76 #14 C. Connecticut 67
#7 Oregon State 71 #10 Penn State 66
#2 Utah State 91 #15 UAB 74

For all the craziness in the rest of the country, the West held mostly true. Southern Illinois almost took out Syracuse, but two controversial fouls near the end of the game denied them the chance to complete their late push. Norfolk State's Jerrold Doss put his team on his back to the tune of 34 points and 17 rebounds, but Fairfield was too much for the Spartans in overtime. North Carolina and Oregon State both had their hands full with lower seeded opponents, but each were able to rely on their experience to pull away in the closing minutes.

South Regional
#1 Drexel 79 #16 McNeese State 61
#8 Stanford 75 #9 Delaware 66
#5 Michigan State 68 #12 Stetson 70
#4 Washington 99 #13 Holy Cross 75
#6 Clemson 61 #11 Florida 68
#3 Memphis 89 #14 Brigham Young 90
#7 Texas 96 #10 Richmond 71
#2 Missouri 101 #15 Austin Peay 57

Two of the more monumental upsets in the history of the NCAA tournament were overshadowed by later fireworks -- but maybe they were just harbingers of things to come. Stetson held on with stellar defense to close out Michigan State, while Brigham Young went for the three and the win to knock out Memphis at the buzzer. The Tigers squandered a 14 point halftime lead to earn a first round exit for the second year in a row. Florida surprised no one by overcoming Clemson, and Missouri looked far more efficient than Drexel as both faced over matched opponents.

Midwest Regional
#1 Louisville 81 #16 VMI 49
#8 Charlotte 53 #9 Arizona State 78
#5 Notre Dame 83 #12 Ole Miss 72
#4 Seton Hall 72 #13 UL Lafayette 70
#6 Purdue 94 #11 Xavier 71
#3 Wisconsin 71 #14 San Francisco 79
#7 Houston 49 #10 USC 68
#2 NC State 76 #15 UNC Greensboro 52

Big East champion Seton Hall needed everything it could muster to overcome Louisiana Lafayette, but Pirates were able to come back from 7 points down with less than four minutes to play. San Fransisco used its superior size to dominate a shell-shocked Wisconsin squad, and North Carolina State got their act together at half time to bury UNC Greensboro. Meanwhile, Charlotte ended their disappointing season, at one point they were in the Top 15, by getting hammered for their 6th loss in 8 games. The 49ers had no answers for Arizona State, and the Sun Devils looked like a team who could give Louisville a lot of trouble in the next round.

[superjames1992]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Damn, you let McNeese hang around. Unacceptable!!!

I've never had a #1 ranking before, though... Very nice!

[Spoonska]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Damn, you let McNeese hang around. Unacceptable!!!

What's wrong with that!

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Damn, you let McNeese hang around. Unacceptable!!!

I've never had a #1 ranking before, though... Very nice!

What's wrong with that!

It's a little less that I let them hang around and a little more that they hung tough. I'm glad I was able to land my haymaker in the first half, but my team has a lot of work to do if they want to do some damage in the tournament.

Looking at the box score, I can't believe I coughed up the ball 14 times. McCarthy had "one of his games," but other players were pretty bad too.

Stanford up next, write up coming soon.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Tournament Second Round

Tonight's game in Albany begs the question: which team is going to show up. Will it be the Drexel Dragons who romped to an undefeated season, or Drexel that had problems putting away lowly McNesse State? Which Stanford team will show up? The one that got blazing hot as it stormed through the PAC-10 tournament? Or the Cardinal squad that was wildly inconsistent throughout the season.

Part of the beauty of of college basketball is the one-and-done nature at the end of the year. None of this "most important regular season in sports" crap that people used to justify the BCS bowl system. No, teams get sorted based on how they perform during the year, and then have to earn it at the end. Drexel and Stanford are both about where they should be, but tonight's match up will be a matter of who can make the most positive plays and who can be the most consistently successful.

That could be a problem for Stanford, but more on that in a minute.

Drexel Keys to the Game

1) Lock Down the Perimeter: Unlike most teams Drexel have faced this season, Stanford runs their offense from the top of the key at the foul line and looks for midrange shots just as much as threes or inside shots. The Dragons will have to be careful not to over commit inside or over extend themselves along the edges. When the shots are falling, as they have been the past few weeks, Drexel can't afford to give Stanford clean chances to shoot them out of the tournament.
2) Get the Ball to Ramsey: Is this cheating? Yes, I have been told this is cheating. Who cares. Ramsey is not only the best big man on the court tonight, but maybe the best player overall tonight. Stanford actually has less players who can match up with him McNesse State, and Coach West needs to find ways to exploit the mismatches.

Stanford has been hot throughout March, but suffered a setback in the aftermath of its win over Delaware in the First Round. Klayton James (83 OVR their best player) reported soreness in his ankle overnight, and swelling in the morning led to a diagnosis of an ankle sprain. He will play, but others will have to pick up the slack if Stanford wants to reach the Sweet 16. Stanford does not have the size to match up with Drexel, but all of their starters can shoot the three -- and Drexel has shown problems in the past with teams who can space the floor and shoot. The Cardinals relied heavily on James and PF Andy Brown to punch their ticket into March Madness, and the onus is going to be squarely on Brown to produce from both the perimeter and inside Drexel's ferocious defense.

Stanford Keys to the Game

1) Attack the Basket: It may seem counter-intuitive because the perimeter game is Stanford's strength, but they need to find ways to attack the basket and get high percentage shots down low. If the Cardinal can space the floor early, Brown will be freed up to do his thing down low and other players should begin to get opportunities to cut to the basket. Stanford has better shooters than Drexel, but settling for jump shots the whole game puts the underdogs in a worse position.
2) If James Falls, Who Shall Rise?: Some are already writing off Stanford if Klayton James cannot be effective on the floor. All reports are that James will play, but someone else needs to be prepared to carry the load. It could be PG Loren Stapley or it could be SF Jeremiah Cannon. There are a number of pure scorers on the Stanford roster, but in crunch time everyone else always looks to James. This isn't Delaware. Stanford is going to need more than a two man game to dispatch Drexel.

With the early results already in, both teams will be vying for a chance to face the Washington Huskies in the Sweet Sixteen. Washington crushed Stetson 93-75, and the PAC-10 regular season champs have already defeated Stanford twice this season.

#1 Drexel vs #8 Stanford

Attention doubters: the crow line starts at mid-court and will travel with the team to Houston in time for tip-off with Washington.

"I tell my players to not pay too much attention to the news or what others have to say about our team," commented Coach West after the game, "But for this game I made an exception. I wanted my players to see what everyone else was saying. To let them know how far we are from 'arriving' or achieving greatness. I think they took it to heart."

If by "[taking] to heart" Coach West means ripping out Stanford's heart and dangling it for all the nation to see, then sure, the Dragons took West's motivation and the media's words to heart by dominating the PAC-10 Tournament Champs 84-51.

Stanford was a shell of what it had been the past few weeks. Klayton James was clearly hobbled by his ankle, and he got no help. Josh Payton and the Dragons shut down Stanford's outside shooting and mid-range game by playing high pressure on ball defense. The game plan may sound basic, but it was highly effective. The Dragons had more energy on the court, and Stanford's lethargy showed as they had only 5 field goals in the first 10 minutes of the game and shot a paltry .260 from beyond the arc in the first half.

Although the Dragons got little from Payton on the offensive end, Drexel managed to attack Stanford where they were most vulnerable. Baskets were free for the taking, and Ramsey took full advantage of Stanford's turnstile defense before getting hit with foul trouble. In fact, Stanford was eventually able to get Drexel's starting bigs on the bench by driving to the paint, but the damage had already been done. Stanford could not hit a shot, and the Drexel bench outscored their opponents 25-6 to keep the pressure on the Cardinal. And instead of thriving in dire straights like they had been for weeks, Stanford wilted and never made the game competitive.

Thus, the team many picked to be the first #1 seed to get knocked out becomes the third to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. Another dominant performance by Ramsey was bolstered by outstanding games from his supporting cast. From the looks of it, the Dragons took the nation's criticism to heart and are firing on all cylinders.

Added Coach West at the end of the game, "Can a #1 seed play the disrespect card? You saw the answer tonight."

Look out world, here come the Dragons.

Stanford Cardinal at Drexel Dragons
Mar 18, 2015	1ST	2ND	SCORE
#8 Stanford (23-12)	25	26	51
#1 Drexel (33-0)	48	36	84

Stanford Cardinal (RPI: 47 OVR: 87)
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
L. Stapley	24	1-9	1-4	0-0	2	8	1	0	1	3
K. James	22	2-14	1-5	3-4	1	2	0	0	0	8
J. Cannon	25	5-14	2-4	3-4	2	1	1	0	1	15
S. Bonfim	20	3-6	0-0	3-4	6	1	0	0	0	9
A. Brown	28	5-8	0-0	0-0	5	2	1	1	0	10
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
R. Kelley	13	1-7	0-0	0-0	3	0	0	0	0	2
J. Garrity	7	1-3	0-1	0-0	3	2	0	1	0	2
S. Fray	11	1-3	0-1	0-0	0	2	1	0	1	2
M. Santos	-- DID NOT PLAY --
W. Sargent	-- DID NOT PLAY --
M. Fraser	-- DID NOT PLAY --
D. Lemons	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		19-64	4-15	9-12	22	18	4	2	3	51

Drexel Dragons (RPI: 1 OVR: 83)
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
P. McCarthy	18	3-7	2-5	0-0	1	7	0	0	2	8
J. Payton	17	2-7	0-3	0-0	4	2	0	0	1	4
D. Richard	18	6-8	1-2	0-0	0	2	0	1	0	13
D. Sow	14	4-7	0-0	3-4	10	0	0	4	1	11
F. Ramsey	16	11-12	0-0	1-1	7	1	0	5	0	23
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
T. Cottrill	8	2-4	0-0	0-0	2	1	1	1	1	4
W. Morandais	16	5-10	1-2	0-0	2	5	1	1	1	11
D. Marsh	14	0-3	0-1	0-0	0	4	1	0	0	0
G. McLaughlin	15	2-2	0-0	1-1	5	1	0	3	0	5
J. Vassallo	6	1-3	1-2	0-0	1	1	0	0	0	3
D. Wilson	4	0-0	0-0	2-2	1	0	0	0	0	2
R. Burnette	4	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	0	0	0	0
TEAM TOTALS		36-63	5-15	7-8	33	25	3	15	6	84

Coach's Take: We prepare every game to take away our opponent's strength, but sometimes what happens on the chalkboard doesn't always translate on the floor. Tonight our game plan on defense was outstanding. I want to give massive credit to Payton, McCarthy, Richard, Morandais, and Marsh. Their effort throughout the game turned Stanford's strength into their Achilles heel. That's how you win at basketball.

What's Next: Drexel will face Washington in Houston next week.

[VandyRedskins21]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

the Dragons took West's motivation and the media's words to heart by dominating the PAC-10 Tournament Champs 84-51.

You absolutely murdered them.....