![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Most fun link of the the week!
Sports Illustrated's index of NCAA Tournament history.
Last day to enter the LJ Bracket Challenge. Signups due at Noon, EST.
And - check it out - look and laugh at My Bracket. I can't wait for games to start, and to go and be watching games over the internet at my desk...
SI's Top Ten First Round Upsets of the Last 10 Years
March 14, 2002
#13 UNC-Wilmington 93
# 4 Southern California 89
PAC 10 Conference Tourney Champs, and prognosticators' darlings USC had to go on a late 19-0 run to get back into the game before falling in overtime. UNCW was led by the awesomely named Brett Blizzard.
March 12, 1998
#14 Richmond 62
# 3 South Carolina 61
I don't remember this one as being so memorable, because South Carolina was regarded as a overrated dog. (See below...)
March 14, 1997
#14 Chattanooga 73
# 3 Georgia 70
Tubby Smith's last game coaching Georgia leaving for the Kentucky job. Made to look like less bad of a loss when Chattanooga beat Illinois in the second round. And also because of South Carolina (See below)
March 16, 2001
#13 Indiana State 70
# 4 Oklahoma 68
This one was an overtime game, and again, I don't remember it well. I feel like the utter butt whipping Pacific laid on Providence two years ago was a bigger deal, even if that was a 12-5. I don't think anybody thought Oklahoma was going anywhere.
March 18, 2005
#14 Bucknell 64
# 3 Kansas 63
I really thought Kansas had a decent run in them last year. Ah well...
March 14, 1997
#15 Coppin State 78
# 2 South Carolina 65
I picked this one. Coppin State is up in Baltimore, and I'd seen them play. In Terquin Mott and Antoine Brockington, they had players. South Carolina got exposed as really fake so no one took them seriously the next year. Disgraceful performance by their overhyped backcourt. The worst beatdown any high seed has faced. At least, when Arizona got punked by the Steve Nash Santa Clara team, they had a huge run to make it competetive.
March 11, 1999
#14 Weber State 76
# 3 North Carolina 74
This was an awesome game, and an insanely great performance by WSU swingman Harold Arcenaux. Whom it turns out, had a problem with drinking and domestic violence. Which made me feel less excited about watching him wipe out a Carolina. This, BTW, was in the same side of the bracket that saw #10 seed Gonzaga burst onto the national scene for the first time with a run to the regional final - where they came very close to beating eventual champs, Connecticut.
March 15, 2001
#15 Hampton 58
# 2 Iowa State 57
I did not have this one. I did not expect ISU to blow what looked like an insurmountable lead, while Hampton's best players sat on the bench in foul trouble. I did not expect them to go scoreless for the last seven minutes, and I did not expect Jamal Tinsley to miss that layup. An awesome game, and a great way to close out the dramatic day at the DC Subregional (Maryland, George Mason, Georgetown, Lefty Driesell's Georgia Southern squad, Hampton) where there were upsets in 3 of 4 games and all were decided by 3 points or less. Always great games in Boise.
March 13, 1998
#14 Valparaiso 70
# 3 Mississippi 69
Not the biggest of upsets, but Bryce Drew's last second shot on the "Pacer play" is clearly the signature final shot of the last ten years. And to think, if Ole Miss star Ansu Sesay hits his free throws, it never happens.
March 14, 1996
#13 Princeton 43
# 4 UCLA 41
For some reason, Toby Bailey really annoyed me. And I liked watching his team get schooled by the Princeton Offense. UCLA had this game in the bag, even with the uncharacteristically low score - but in the last few minutes, utterly lost patience with their offense - taking horrible shots - and with their defense. As Charles O'Bannon bit on a fake and got beat on a backdoor cut in the final seconds, which may have been Princeton's only lead of the game. Good Times.
Sports Illustrated's index of NCAA Tournament history.
Last day to enter the LJ Bracket Challenge. Signups due at Noon, EST.
And - check it out - look and laugh at My Bracket. I can't wait for games to start, and to go and be watching games over the internet at my desk...
SI's Top Ten First Round Upsets of the Last 10 Years
March 14, 2002
#13 UNC-Wilmington 93
# 4 Southern California 89
PAC 10 Conference Tourney Champs, and prognosticators' darlings USC had to go on a late 19-0 run to get back into the game before falling in overtime. UNCW was led by the awesomely named Brett Blizzard.
March 12, 1998
#14 Richmond 62
# 3 South Carolina 61
I don't remember this one as being so memorable, because South Carolina was regarded as a overrated dog. (See below...)
March 14, 1997
#14 Chattanooga 73
# 3 Georgia 70
Tubby Smith's last game coaching Georgia leaving for the Kentucky job. Made to look like less bad of a loss when Chattanooga beat Illinois in the second round. And also because of South Carolina (See below)
March 16, 2001
#13 Indiana State 70
# 4 Oklahoma 68
This one was an overtime game, and again, I don't remember it well. I feel like the utter butt whipping Pacific laid on Providence two years ago was a bigger deal, even if that was a 12-5. I don't think anybody thought Oklahoma was going anywhere.
March 18, 2005
#14 Bucknell 64
# 3 Kansas 63
I really thought Kansas had a decent run in them last year. Ah well...
March 14, 1997
#15 Coppin State 78
# 2 South Carolina 65
I picked this one. Coppin State is up in Baltimore, and I'd seen them play. In Terquin Mott and Antoine Brockington, they had players. South Carolina got exposed as really fake so no one took them seriously the next year. Disgraceful performance by their overhyped backcourt. The worst beatdown any high seed has faced. At least, when Arizona got punked by the Steve Nash Santa Clara team, they had a huge run to make it competetive.
March 11, 1999
#14 Weber State 76
# 3 North Carolina 74
This was an awesome game, and an insanely great performance by WSU swingman Harold Arcenaux. Whom it turns out, had a problem with drinking and domestic violence. Which made me feel less excited about watching him wipe out a Carolina. This, BTW, was in the same side of the bracket that saw #10 seed Gonzaga burst onto the national scene for the first time with a run to the regional final - where they came very close to beating eventual champs, Connecticut.
March 15, 2001
#15 Hampton 58
# 2 Iowa State 57
I did not have this one. I did not expect ISU to blow what looked like an insurmountable lead, while Hampton's best players sat on the bench in foul trouble. I did not expect them to go scoreless for the last seven minutes, and I did not expect Jamal Tinsley to miss that layup. An awesome game, and a great way to close out the dramatic day at the DC Subregional (Maryland, George Mason, Georgetown, Lefty Driesell's Georgia Southern squad, Hampton) where there were upsets in 3 of 4 games and all were decided by 3 points or less. Always great games in Boise.
March 13, 1998
#14 Valparaiso 70
# 3 Mississippi 69
Not the biggest of upsets, but Bryce Drew's last second shot on the "Pacer play" is clearly the signature final shot of the last ten years. And to think, if Ole Miss star Ansu Sesay hits his free throws, it never happens.
March 14, 1996
#13 Princeton 43
# 4 UCLA 41
For some reason, Toby Bailey really annoyed me. And I liked watching his team get schooled by the Princeton Offense. UCLA had this game in the bag, even with the uncharacteristically low score - but in the last few minutes, utterly lost patience with their offense - taking horrible shots - and with their defense. As Charles O'Bannon bit on a fake and got beat on a backdoor cut in the final seconds, which may have been Princeton's only lead of the game. Good Times.