Mr Matt's Sports Blog

Mike Miller beat Butler in 2000 en route to the Final Four. Fast forward ten years later and Butler star/Mike Miller clone Gordon Hayward has his Bulldogs in the Final 4. 2004 was the last time Duke went to the Final 4 and the last time a Big East school won the National title. It was also the last year that only a single 1 seed made it to the Final 4. Well history always repeats itself and once again the Dukies are in the Final 4 and just like in 2004 they are the only 1 seed left. Just like 2004 they will be playing a very talented 2 seed from the Big East. In 2004 it was UConn that beat Duke in one of the greatest comebacks in college basketball history en route to a National title. This time around they will play West Virginia who just like UConn was a number 2 seed from the Big East. This year's Duke team is very similar in many ways to the team of 2004. This leads me to my historical team comparison. I compare the top teams of this year to top college basketball tea...

Here are some interesting numbers regarding the 16 teams left in the NCAA Tournament 16 Teams 3-1 seeds Kentucky, Duke, Syracuse 3-2 seeds Kansas St., West Virginia, Ohio St. 1-3 seed Baylor 1-4 seed Purdue 2-5 seeds Michigan St., Butler 2-6 seeds Xavier, Tennessee 1-9 seed Northern Iowa 1-10 seed St. Mary's 1-11 seed Washington 1-12 seed Cornell The Cornell Big Red have a tough task ahead of them with Kentucky on Thursday night. 11 Conferences still have a team alive. Here is the conference breakdown now along with the number of teams that started the tournament in that conference. 3/5-Big Ten Ohio St., Purdue, Michigan St. 2/8-Big East Syracuse, West Virginia 2/7-Big 12 Kansas St., Baylor 2/4-SEC Kentucky, Tennessee 1/7-ACC Duke 1/3-Atlantic 10 Xavier 1/2-WCC St. Mary's 1/2-PAC 10 Washington 1/1-Horizon Butler 1/1-MVC Northern Iowa 1/1-Ivy League Cornell The MWC, Conference USA, and the WAC are the only multiple bid leagues without a team...

2009 Tournament with the Big East dominance. Last Year the Big East led the way with 7 total bids, 3 #1 seeds, 2 #3 seeds and 2 #6 seeds. They also sent 2 teams to the Final Four. This year the Big East leads the way with 8 total bids. Syracuse is the only #1 seed, but the Big East has 2 #2's, 2 #3's, 2 #6's and 1 #9seed. It would not shock me if the Big East again had two teams in the Final Four but it will be a lot tougher than it was last year. Also like last year, one region has the nation's best team and the nation's best player. Last year the South Region had the nation's top team in UNC as a 1 seed and had the nation's top player, Blake Griffin and Oklahoma as a 2 seed. Also in that region as a 3 seed was Syracuse. A team that helped their seed by getting to the final of the Big East Tournament. This year the Midwest Region is like that. The Midwest has the nation's top team in Kansas, the nation's top player in Evan Turner and Ohio ...

Games To Watch: West Region-Oklahoma City #7 BYU vs. #10 Florida-Thursday-12:30pm This is the first game of the tournament and it should be a very good one. Florida has a major advantage up front, while BYU has a great backcourt. BYU is also the highest scoring team in the tournament at 83ppg. However Florida is out to prove they belong in the dance after missing the tournament the past two seasons. East Region-San Jose #6 Marquette vs. #11 Washington-Thursday-7:20pm Both teams are very guard oriented and are led by versatile slashers. Marquette has Lazar Hayward (18.1ppg, 7.7rpg) and Washington has Quincy Poindexter (19.8ppg, 7.5rpg). Washington is a high scoring team at 79.8ppg and could pose problems for Marquette. South Region-Spokane #4 Purdue vs. #13 Siena-Friday-2:30pm Since losing star Robbie Hummel for the season, Purdue is 2-3 and that includes a 27-point blowout loss against Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament. The Boilermakers are clearly not ...

MIDWEST Oklahoma City 1)Kansas 16)Winthrop 8)Marquette 9)UNLV Spokane 5)Wisconsin 12)St. Mary's 4)Vandy 13)Oakland Providence 6)Northern Iowa 11)Wake Forest 3)Villanova 14)Wofford Spokane 7)California 10)OK St. 2)Purdue 15)UCSB EAST Milwaukee 1)Kentucky 16)Play-In Game, Lehigh vs. ARK-Pine Bluff 8)San Diego St. 9)Notre Dame New Orleans 5)Michigan St. 12)Old Dominion 4)Texas A&M 13)New Mexico St. Jacksonville 6)Richmond 11)Cornell 3)Georgetown 14)Sam Houston St. Oklahoma City 7)Georgia Tech 10)Mississippi St. (Bubble 1) 2)Kansas St. 15)Montana SOUTH Jacksonville 1)Duke 16)Robert Morris 8)Mizzou 9)UTEP New Orleans 5)Tennessee 12)Minnesota 4)Pittsburgh 13)Murray St. San Jose 6)BYU 11)Washington 3)Baylor 14)North Texas Buffalo 7)Xavier 10)FSU 2)West Virginia 15)Morgan St. WEST Buffalo 1)Syracuse 16)E. Tennessee St. 8)Texas 9)Clemson San Jose 5)Butler 12)Utah St. 4)New Mexico 13)Houston Providence 6)Maryland 11)Siena 3)Temple 14)Ohio Milwaukee 7)Gonzaga 10)Louisville 2)Ohio St. 15)V...

MIDWEST Oklahoma City 1) Kansas 16) Winthrop 8) California 9) Wake Forest New Orleans 5) Georgetown 12) Siena 4) Michigan St. 13) Murray St. San Jose 6) Northern Iowa 11) Georgia Tech 3) Baylor 14) Sam Houston St. (Southland) Providence 7) Richmond 10) Florida 2) West Virginia 15) North Texas EAST Milwaukee 1) Kentucky 16) Play-In Game, Lehigh (Patriot) vs. Jackson St. (SWAC) 8) Marquette 9) Mizzou Spokane 5) BYU 12) St. Mary’s 4) Temple 13) Illinois Providence 6) Butler 11) San Diego St. 3) Pittsburgh 14) Wofford Oklahoma City 7) UTEP 10) Virginia Tech 2) Kansas St. 15) Montana SOUTH Jacksonville 1) Duke 16) Robert Morris 8) Texas 9) Utah St. (WAC) Jacksonville 5) Maryland 12) Cornell 4) Tennessee 13) UAB San Jose 6) Gonzaga 11) Notre Dame 3) New Mexico 14) UCSB (Big West) Milwaukee 7) Clemson 10) Oklahoma St. 2) Purdue 15) Morgan St. (MEAC) WEST Buffalo 1) Syracuse 16) E. Tennessee St. 8) FSU 9) UNLV Spokane 5) Texas A&M 12) Arizona St. 4) Wisconsin 13) Kent (MAC) New Or...

1. NJ (7-57)-John Wall-PG-Kentucky-Fr. No brainer choice, with Wall, Brook Lopez and 30 million in cap room the Nets could sign a star free agent and go from being one of the worst teams ever to being a playoff contender. 2. MIN (14-51)-Evan Turner-F/G-Ohio St.-Jr. Turner is cut from the Danny Granger/Brandon Roy mold. He can do absolutely everything on the basketball court. He should step in and instantly be the best player in Minnesota since Kevin Garnett. 3. GS (17-46)-Derrick Favors-PF-Georgia Tech-Fr. Anthony Tolliver has started at PF this season, need I say any more. Anthony Randolph is more of a combo forward then a true post presence. The athletic Favors would be the ideal fit as a PF in Don Nelson's uptempo style. 4. WAS (21-40)-Wesley Johnson-G/F-Syracuse-Jr. He's the best player available and could instantly come in and start at either the 2 or the 3. 5. IND (21-43)-DeMarcus Cousins-C/F-Kentucky-Fr. Roy Hibbert you have been replaced with a stronger, better and to...

Mega Showdowns: Kansas St @ Kansas-Wednesday-8pm-E360 Why this game is not on National TV? I don’t understand. But as of right now, the biggest game left in the season (a game that pits two in state rivals that are both in the top 10) is only available online. Thank You ESPN. Regardless this should be an amazing matchup as Kansas tries to bounce back from a terrible loss at Oklahoma St. Kansas St. however is trying to avoid being swept by their rivals while at the same time eyeing a number one seed. It should be a good one. Have your laptops ready. Duke @ Maryland-Wednesday-9pm-ESPN ESPN got this one right. A battle for first place in the ACC is on the line when the Blue Devils travel to Maryland. This could be the game that decides the ACC player of the year as well. Maryland’s Greivis Vasquez and Duke’s John Scheyer are the front runners for player of the year honors along with Virginia Tech’s Malcolm Delaney. A win for Duke will clinch them the regular season conference title in the...