Reluctantly Duke

Never cared for Duke.  But I’ll need them to win it all and score a lot of points to try and take 5th place.  One person who’s happy for Duke’s win is You’re My Boy Blue who has guaranteed himself at least 3rd place ($170) so he can start spending the money now.   The other 12 will have to wait and see what happens next week.  Here are the Final Four Possibilities:

If MICHIGAN ST/BUTLER beats  W VIRGINIA in the final, then the possible winners are...
 The Pride Of Troy! Score:118 (place 1 winner)
 Max Approved Score:114 (place 2 winner)
 You're My Boy Blue Score:108 (place 3 winner)
 Another Two-Peat Score:107 (place 4 winner)
 Larzby Score:106 (tiebreak=137)
 The Mighty Mobelfakta Score:106 (tiebreak=142)
 Hummeless Score:106 (tiebreak=145)
 Blue Devil Blues Score:106 (tiebreak=169)

If  W VIRGINIA beats MICHIGAN ST/BUTLER in the final, then the possible winners are...
 The Pride Of Troy! Score:118 (place 1 winner)
 Max Approved Score:114 (place 2 winner)
 You're My Boy Blue Score:108 (place 3 winner)
 Another Two-Peat Score:107 (tiebreak=128)
 Punani59 Score:107 (tiebreak=131)

If MICHIGAN ST/BUTLER beats        DUKE in the final, then the possible winners are...
 You're My Boy Blue Score:116 (place 1 winner)
 Hummeless Score:114 (tiebreak=145)
 Blue Devil Blues Score:114 (tiebreak=169)
 The Pride Of Troy! Score:110 (place 4 winner)
 Another Two-Peat Score:107 (tiebreak=128)
 Jinx Score:107 (tiebreak=160)

If        DUKE beats MICHIGAN ST/BUTLER in the final, then the possible winners are...
 Blue Devil Blues Score:126 (place 1 winner)
 You're My Boy Blue Score:116 (place 2 winner)
 Eros Score:115 (place 3 winner)
 Hummeless Score:114 (place 4 winner)
 FOMI Score:111 (tiebreak=140)
 Deemed to Win Score:111 (tiebreak=144)

Good or Bad Calls?

Was watching but unable to listen to the game but there seemed to be some questionable calls (including allowing just 0.2 seconds to run off the clock on the intentionally missed free throw).  Will have to see what happened there.

But congrats to Michigan St. (again) for making the Final Four.  They always seem to sneak in, especially in broken brackets.  No one picked them but it did eliminate Another Two-Peat (who was the only one to pick Tenn) from winning first.  The next game is crucial in terms of standings.  If Baylor wins, only 9 can win the money spots with 4 still having a chance for 1st.  It’ll also give The Pride of Troy! at least 4th place and Marinomac at least a tie or 5th place (could lose the tiebreaker).  If Duke wins, 13 will still be alive but only 3 could win 1st (You’re My Boy Blue, The Pride of Troy!, and Blue Devil Blues) with You’re My Boy Blue guaranteed at least 3rd place.

Bonus Possibility

With the Big 12 down to just one team, this is the scenario for the Bonus.  If Baylor loses in the Final to Butler or Tennessee, then my mom Besst will win the $40 Bonus Prize.  Anything else and no one wins Bonus1 and we go to Bonus2.  This will open the Bonus back up to everyone who won’t finish in the top 5.  The winner will be the closest to the total points in final and if entries are tied, then the most points in the pool.

I Don’t Know What to Think

WVU goes 0 for its first 17 16 from 2-point range; Kentucky goes 0 for its first 20 from 3-point range.  West Virginia misses 8 free throws after taking a 61-45 lead with 4:25 left.  Somehow, WVU is going to the Final Four for the first since 1959.  Duke is now the last #1 seed.  29 picked WVU.  Larzby is still in first and has a 12.5% chance for first but can’t pick up any more points.  The overwhelming favorite is The Pride of Troy! who has a 87.5% chance for money and a 50% chance for 1st.  He is also trying to get his 3rd year in the money (the previous were 4th place finishes).  Six have a 12.5% chance for 1st.  Just 17 can win money.

Butler Heads Home!

Well, they would’ve either way, but now they get to go home (Indianapolis) as the West Regional Champs as the #5 seed.  This guarantees that at best, a #5 seed will reach the NCAA Final.  Butler’s 19 turnovers kept Kansas St. in the game but a bizarre, almost 43-second possession by Kansas St in the last minute sealed their fate.  Two actually picked Butler (they should also play the Lottery now), but it only benefited Larzby who retakes the lead.  Cnollfan was the other.  Larzby now has a 4-point lead but it’s Another Two-Peat who is almost guaranteed money at 81.3%.  Ten brackets were eliminated (leaving 23) and only 8 can win first, including a possible 2-time champion for Ken B (25.0%) or Lawrence M (15.6%) (only Robinson C has ever won our pool twice).

Cinderella Run Over

Michigan St. and Duke pulled away late to advance to the Elite 8.  It was fun watching Northern Iowa while we could.  2 of the 3 Big 10 teams lost today.  No changes due to Michigan St’s win but 2 more were eliminated with Duke’s win, leaving 33 vying for money.  Only 12 can win 1st.  Suznana was the only one to pick Michigan St., but she was already eliminated.

If you want to know which of the 128 remaining possible outcomes winning money, post a comment here or on the discussion board.  For example, GoTerps possible winning outcomes are already posted there.

Midwest in Shambles

Live from the Home Depot Center in Carson!  Tennessee made its first Elite 8 in defeating Ohio St.  In the Midwest, a #5, #6, or #9 team will make the Final Four.  The Vols win eliminated 10 brackets and 8 from winning 1st.  Baylor dominated St. Mary’s, sparked by an early 30-7 run, and will face either Duke or Purdue.  Baylor knocked Larzby from 1st and now You’re My Boy Blue is in first followed by Another Two-Peat.  Just 35 now can win money and only 13 can win 1st.

It’s Over?

Well, for me, at least.  Eliminated once again on the first day of the Sweet 16.  But the Kansas St.-Xavier game finally ended after 2 OTs.  Larzby, the defending champ, is in first, going 4-0. 

I traded half-price Todai’s for missing possibly the best game of the tourney, but considering the team I wanted (Xavier) lost and the Kentucky-Cornell was a rout, I’m happy with the dozens of sushi I ate.

The Butler Did It (C’mon, you knew that was coming)

Butler started with a very long 3 which started an 11-0 run to make the Elite 8 over #1 Syracuse.  Is it because Syracuse had the furthest to travel as a #1 seed?  By not getting the 3rd #1 seed, they went to Salt Lake City instead of Houston.  So the Orange (what was wrong with Orangemen?) are the 2nd #1 seed to fall.  How will Kentucky and Duke do?   Five entries, believe it or not, picked Bulter into the Elite 8.  This propelled Larzby into a tie for first with SilverSurfer (84 pts).  ChasCroix5 went from 100th to 76th and still has a chance for 1st.  14 entries were eliminated (leaving 61) and 10 were eliminated from winning (leaving 32).

Update:  In the second game, it was a turnover-fest but West Virginia easily held off Washington even without Darryl “Truck” Bryant (broken foot).  88 picked WVU and three more were eliminated (leaving 58) and only 30 can win 1st.  Can’t wait for the big game and hope it’s not a blowout, between Kentucky & Cornell.

FOMI, IlliNI.T, and MB Camel Jockies all still have their Final Four intact.  Marty the Greek joined previously Sisyphus as the only ones who will go 0-for-the-Final-Four.