In the past, the Confidential had some fun with Mount Rushmores for each ACC school. We picked three spots and let fans pick the 4th spot. Today, the focus is on college basketball as a whole–specifically, the active coaches. It should be pretty easy to guess a few of the names, but rounding out the 4th (and eliminating the others in the process) may be difficult. In any event, here is the list… you can vote on who gets #4.
|
Rank
|
Owner
|
Bracket
|
Correct Picks
|
Points
|
Bonus Pts
|
Total Pts
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
42
|
114
|
17
|
131
|
||
|
2
|
42
|
114
|
12
|
126
|
||
|
3
|
42
|
111
|
12
|
123
|
||
|
4
|
39
|
103
|
15
|
118
|
||
|
5
|
38
|
103
|
12
|
115
|
||
|
6
|
42
|
111
|
3
|
114
|
||
|
6
|
38
|
102
|
12
|
114
|
||
|
8
|
39
|
100
|
12
|
112
|
||
|
9
|
40
|
108
|
3
|
111
|
||
|
9
|
38
|
105
|
6
|
111
|
||
|
11
|
38
|
97
|
11
|
108
|
||
|
12
|
40
|
104
|
3
|
107
|
||
|
13
|
37
|
98
|
6
|
104
|
||
|
14
|
36
|
95
|
6
|
101
|
||
|
14
|
34
|
95
|
6
|
101
|
||
|
16
|
34
|
87
|
12
|
99
|
||
|
16
|
36
|
96
|
3
|
99
|
||
|
18
|
34
|
91
|
6
|
97
|
||
|
19
|
35
|
93
|
3
|
96
|
||
|
20
|
32
|
87
|
8
|
95
|
||
|
20
|
33
|
92
|
3
|
95
|
||
|
22
|
36
|
87
|
6
|
93
|
||
|
22
|
33
|
87
|
6
|
93
|
||
|
22
|
35
|
90
|
3
|
93
|
||
|
22
|
34
|
90
|
3
|
93
|
This pool uses a custom scoring system. Details
There are few things in life more satisfying than watching your favorite college basketball team survive the first two rounds (I refuse to count the play-in games as first rounders) of the NCAA Tournament and securing a birth in the Sweet 16. The extra week of preparation allows loyal fans to catch their collective breath, talk some trash, and think about the next matchup awaiting. For Louisville and Coach Rick Pitino, the last several days have undoubtedly been dedicated to figuring out how slow down a red hot NC State team that is fresh off a convincing win over the #1 seeded Villanova Wildcats. The formula Louisville will most likely seek to defeat NC State – tame a Cat………
Cat Barber, the lightning quick point guard for the Wolfpack, was the difference in NC State’s 9 point win over the Cards in the Yum! Center earlier in the regular season. The Cards will have to work vehemently to keep Barber out of the lane where he is proficient at dumping down to big men or hitting open shooters on the perimeter. Speaking of shooters…..
Trevor Lacey (above) is another player the Cards will have to contain and keep under wraps on Friday night. Lacey is a guy who can get hot in a hurry and put points up like a video game. Ralston Turner, in addition to Lacey, will also have to be dealt with. Like Lacey, Turner is streaky and when he’s on few guys can outshoot him when under pressure.
Louisville’s quest for another Elite 8 won’t be easy but it’s doable for sure. In fact, let’s take a quicj trip down memory lame for one second. It was almost a year ago to the day that a 4 seeded Louisville team entered a Friday evening Sweet 16 game against an 8 seed (Kentucky) in a dome. Certainly the pressure tonight will not match that of last year’s in-state rivalry game but the Cards will stay be on the big stage with a very enticing opportunity in front of them……manage to beat NC State and your next game will be just as winnable. Sure, Michigan State is a solid club led by one of the best March coaches in Tom Izzo. Similarly, Oklahoma has a balanced team and Lon Kruger does a tremendous job at having his teams prepared and ready to play. But the bottom line is that the NCAA Tournament is all about match ups and neither of those schools are Virginia. The Cavaliers, despite losing a nail biter to UofL to round out the regular season, would have been a nightmare match up for UofL with a healthy Justin Anderson and a methodical half court offense and a suffocating defense.
I look for NC State to double team Terry Rozier a lot tonight which means Quentin Snider & new 1,000 point club member Wayne Blackshear will again have opportunities galore to score. Montrezl Harrell will have done big bodies to contend with but being that he struggled in his last meeting against NC State, I think he will play well.
The tournament has overall been a great one this year. I look for tonight’s games to be highly competitive and close. And in conclusion, I am picking the Cards to advance late lot to tonight. They have 3 things in their favor that I believe will put them over the top: momentum, Rick Pitino’s preparation and Mark Gottfried.
Go Cards and best of luck to ACC colleague Duke. The conference could potentially place 3 teams in this year’s Elite further cementing it as THE best basketball conference in college basketball.
Here are the current standings for the Confidential’s Tourney Bracket Contest (top 25 only):
|
Rank
|
Owner
|
Bracket
|
Correct Picks
|
Points
|
Bonus Pts
|
Total Pts
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
40
|
104
|
12
|
116
|
||
|
2
|
39
|
99
|
15
|
114
|
||
|
3
|
40
|
101
|
12
|
113
|
||
|
4
|
37
|
93
|
15
|
108
|
||
|
5
|
38
|
95
|
12
|
107
|
||
|
6
|
36
|
93
|
12
|
105
|
||
|
7
|
40
|
101
|
3
|
104
|
||
|
7
|
36
|
92
|
12
|
104
|
||
|
9
|
39
|
99
|
3
|
102
|
||
|
10
|
37
|
92
|
9
|
101
|
||
|
10
|
36
|
95
|
6
|
101
|
||
|
12
|
36
|
93
|
6
|
99
|
||
|
13
|
35
|
90
|
6
|
96
|
||
|
13
|
37
|
93
|
3
|
96
|
||
|
15
|
33
|
86
|
6
|
92
|
||
|
16
|
32
|
77
|
12
|
89
|
||
|
16
|
34
|
86
|
3
|
89
|
||
|
18
|
35
|
82
|
6
|
88
|
||
|
18
|
32
|
82
|
6
|
88
|
||
|
18
|
33
|
85
|
3
|
88
|
||
|
21
|
33
|
83
|
3
|
86
|
||
|
21
|
31
|
80
|
6
|
86
|
||
|
23
|
33
|
80
|
3
|
83
|
||
|
24
|
32
|
79
|
3
|
82
|
||
|
25
|
30
|
77
|
3
|
80
|
While most folks are concentrating on March Madness, the Syracuse Orange faithful have turned to mens lacrosse–where, other than perhaps Johns Hopkins–nobody has more tradition. But recent years have been fairly lean for the Orange. 2015, however, is off to a great start. So a lot of eyes were on yesterday’s matchup between the Orange and the two-time reigning champion Duke Blue Devils. And Syracuse dominated, winning 19-7 over #4 Duke in the Carrier Dome.
Here are the current standings for the Confidential’s Tourney Bracket Contest after 4 days of games (top 25 only):
|
Rank
|
Bracket
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
Semis
|
Finals
|
Bonus Pts
|
Total Pts
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
48
|
36
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
15
|
99
|
|
|
2
|
50
|
36
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
12
|
98
|
|
|
3
|
48
|
36
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
12
|
96
|
|
|
4
|
48
|
30
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Wisconsin
|
15
|
93
|
|
|
5
|
50
|
30
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Wisconsin
|
12
|
92
|
|
|
6
|
44
|
33
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Virginia
|
12
|
89
|
|
|
7
|
50
|
27
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
9
|
86
|
|
|
8
|
46
|
27
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Arizona
|
12
|
85
|
|
|
9
|
54
|
27
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
84
|
|
|
10
|
50
|
27
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Baylor
|
6
|
83
|
|
|
11
|
52
|
27
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Virginia
|
3
|
82
|
|
|
12
|
48
|
30
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
81
|
|
|
12
|
42
|
33
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
6
|
81
|
|
|
14
|
46
|
21
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
12
|
79
|
|
|
14
|
46
|
27
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
6
|
79
|
|
|
16
|
46
|
24
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
6
|
76
|
|
|
17
|
44
|
27
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
74
|
|
|
18
|
40
|
27
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
6
|
73
|
|
|
18
|
46
|
24
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
73
|
|
|
18
|
40
|
30
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Arizona
|
3
|
73
|
|
|
21
|
42
|
24
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Villanova
|
6
|
72
|
|
|
22
|
44
|
24
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
71
|
|
|
22
|
38
|
27
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Duke
|
6
|
71
|
|
|
24
|
38
|
24
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Louisville
|
6
|
68
|
|
|
24
|
38
|
24
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
6
|
68
|
Here are the current standings for the Confidential’s Tourney Bracket Contest after 3 days of games (top 25 only):
|
Rank
|
Bracket
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
Semis
|
Finals
|
Bonus Pts
|
Total Pts
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
50
|
18
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
9
|
77
|
|
|
2
|
48
|
18
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
9
|
75
|
|
|
3
|
50
|
15
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Wisconsin
|
9
|
74
|
|
|
4
|
50
|
15
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
6
|
71
|
|
|
5
|
48
|
12
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Wisconsin
|
9
|
69
|
|
|
5
|
54
|
12
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
69
|
|
|
5
|
48
|
15
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
6
|
69
|
|
|
8
|
50
|
12
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Baylor
|
6
|
68
|
|
|
8
|
44
|
15
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Virginia
|
9
|
68
|
|
|
10
|
52
|
12
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Virginia
|
3
|
67
|
|
|
10
|
46
|
12
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Arizona
|
9
|
67
|
|
|
12
|
48
|
15
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
66
|
|
|
13
|
46
|
6
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
12
|
64
|
|
|
13
|
46
|
12
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
6
|
64
|
|
|
15
|
46
|
9
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
St. John’s
|
6
|
61
|
|
|
15
|
46
|
12
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
61
|
|
|
17
|
42
|
15
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
60
|
|
|
18
|
44
|
12
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
59
|
|
|
18
|
44
|
12
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
59
|
|
|
20
|
46
|
9
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
58
|
|
|
21
|
42
|
12
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Villanova
|
3
|
57
|
|
|
22
|
38
|
12
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Louisville
|
6
|
56
|
|
|
22
|
38
|
12
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Duke
|
6
|
56
|
|
|
24
|
40
|
12
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
55
|
|
|
25
|
46
|
6
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Villanova
|
–
|
52
|
Survive and advance……….
It seems simple, doesn’t it? In reality, nothing is more taxing than fighting to come out on the winning end of a nip and tuck NCAA Tournament game, especially one that goes to the wire. And taxing it was Friday afternoon for Louisville as the Cards found themselves in their own version of basketball taxation. It took everything that UofL had to ward off a valiant effort by the Anteaters of the Univ Cal-Irvine and advance into the field of 32. The game featured numerous lead changes and momentum swings and was capped off by a scramble on the floor as time expired. Card fans from all over could finally exhale.
In a game where only eight total free throws were attempted by both teams, there was a lot of physical play highlighted by the low post action involving UC-Irvine’s 7’6″ behemoth Mamadou Ndiaye. I have not seen a physical presence in the middle like Ndiaye since the days of watching former University of Kentucky center Shagari Alleyne. Ndiaye was literally unstoppable when he received the ball deep on the block and on offensive put backs. Louisville’s centers who both stand at 6’10” were dwarfed by Ndiaye and had to finally resort to doubling him in the post to slow down Irvine’s offense. The strategy appeared to work thankfully as Ndiaye became less effective late in the game and was scored on at the rim by Wayne Blackshear inside of a minute left to play.
(this pic is not photoshopped)
Speaking of Wayne Blackshear, I couldn’t be more proud and happy for a kid who along with freshman Quentin Snider was the team’s MVP on Friday. Despite shooting for a modest average from the field, Wayne made the big plays down the stretch. It certainly isn’t news to Louisville fans that Blackshear’s career as a Card hasn’t quite lived up to the lofty expectations set forth before he ever put on a jersey. And in the spirit of discussing one coming up short, Blackshear entered Friday’s game only 21 points shy of scoring 1,000 for his career. His last bucket, a huge one, gave him 19 as he slashed to the hole and scored Louisville’s last field goal of the day. Wouldn’t it have been fitting for the Cards to trip up and lose with Wayne being SO close to such an important and career defining achievement? Maybe. But just maybe the tables of fortune finally turned in favor of Wayne. He will now get another fresh 40 minutes to reach his milestone and more importantly help his team advance further in the tournament – and I’m damn happy about it.
Louisville’s next opponent, Northern Iowa, is a quality team that will push the Cards to the limit. Play like they did today and it could be sayonara for the red and black. One would have to think, however, that Louisville will play more efficiently on Sunday as getting that first game under your belt is sometimes the hardest one a team faces. I have to tip my cap to Quentin Snider who grew up right in front of a national audience today. His ability to get into the lane and make short jump shots was invaluable and the clutch free throws to put Louisville ahead near the end were impressive and symbolic of the freshmen’s cool calm demeanor. I feel really good about Snider’s future as a Card.
Before concluding, I did want to lastly give props to Terry Rozier who, despite not being much of an offensive factor on Friday, came up with the game sealing steal. Oh, and for the naysayers….Terry didn’t foul contrary to popular belief. Job well done.
Now the waiting game begins. Sunday can’t get here soon enough. I have accepted this Louisville team for what they are: a group of guys that play hard despite being short handed and lacking in the area of experience and God-given talent. I do have questions regarding the lack of minutes for certain players but it’s too late into the season to worry about such a quagmire. I’ll support whoever is on the floor and will remember this team in a positive light after refusing to give up today and down the stretch of the regular season.. Give ’em hell on Sunday Cards.
Here are the current standings for the Confidential’s Tourney Bracket Contest after 1 day of games (top 25 only):
|
Rank
|
Bracket
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
Semis
|
Finals
|
Bonus Pts
|
Total Pts
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
26
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
St. John’s
|
6
|
32
|
|
|
2
|
24
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
6
|
30
|
|
|
2
|
24
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
6
|
30
|
|
|
2
|
24
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Baylor
|
6
|
30
|
|
|
2
|
24
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Wisconsin
|
6
|
30
|
|
|
6
|
22
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
6
|
28
|
|
|
7
|
24
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
27
|
|
|
7
|
24
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
27
|
|
|
7
|
24
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Virginia
|
3
|
27
|
|
|
10
|
20
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Virginia
|
6
|
26
|
|
|
11
|
22
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
25
|
|
|
11
|
22
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Arizona
|
3
|
25
|
|
|
11
|
22
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
25
|
|
|
11
|
22
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
25
|
|
|
11
|
22
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
25
|
|
|
16
|
20
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Wisconsin
|
3
|
23
|
|
|
16
|
20
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
23
|
|
|
16
|
20
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
23
|
|
|
16
|
20
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
23
|
|
|
20
|
22
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Villanova
|
–
|
22
|
|
|
20
|
22
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
–
|
22
|
|
|
22
|
18
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
21
|
|
|
22
|
18
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Kentucky
|
3
|
21
|
|
|
22
|
18
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Villanova
|
3
|
21
|
|
|
25
|
16
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
Louisville
|
3
|
19
|
What is the best name for an entrant in this year’s Confidential tourney pool? Make your selection below:
The Confidential 