Notes: The winner of the NCAA Tournament so far? Bill Walton.
Random notes:
▪ Those who bet that four Pac-12 teams would make the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament are rolling in the dough right now. My guess is there isn’t much rolling going on, however.
▪ Didn’t you just know that Bill “Conference of Champions” Walton would get the last laugh. Wherever he may be right now, Big Bill is smiling. And talking.
▪ He’s played in one more game than everyone else, but UCLA’s Johnny Juzang is the leading scorer to this point in the NCAA Tournament. The former Kentucky guard has scored 67 points in three games.
▪ Face it, the Big Ten’s tournament showing has been a disaster. Out of nine Big Ten teams in the draw, only No. 1 seed Michigan has made it through to a regional semifinal. No. 2 seed Ohio State and No. 4 seed Purdue were bounced in the first round. No. 1 seed Illinois and No. 2 seed Iowa were eliminated in the round of 32. Ouch.
▪ Yes, I know, I picked Illinois to win the whole thing. Loyola Chicago Coach Porter Moser and his old-school center Cameron Krutwig put an end to that. March on, Sister Jean.
▪ I was also wrong about Syracuse. Questioned why the No. 11 seed Orange is even in the tournament. Jim Boeheim is getting the last laugh after Syracuse wins over San Diego State and West Virginia.
▪ I still like Gonzaga to come out of the West, Alabama out of the East and Baylor out of the South. Incorrectly seeded at No. 8, Loyola Chicago is my pick to make it out of the Midwest. That would be the Ramblers’ second Final Four trip in the last three tournaments.
▪ Arkansas has a chance to win the South Region, but can’t see the Razorbacks getting past Baylor in the Elite Eight. Still, Eric Musselman has done a terrific job in Fayetteville.
▪ Florida fans are not happy with Coach Mike White, who let the air out of the ball and lost 81-78 to No. 15 seed Oral Roberts in the second round. White’s not going to be pink-slipped, but it is the third straight NCAA Tournament in which the Gators were shown the door in the second round.
▪ Our old friend DeWayne Peevy, now running DePaul athletics, is reportedly interviewing our old friend Kenny Payne for the head coaching job with the Blue Demons. I wrote last year Payne deserves a shot running a program. DePaul is a tough job, but this could be his chance.
▪ Analytical guru Ken Pomeroy says he has “a bone to pick with CBS/Turner” over the use of his stats, without full credit, during NCAA Tournament broadcasts. Announcers are obviously borrowing kenpom’s pace and experience rankings, among others, without giving Pomeroy the hat tip he’s due.
▪ That said, give CBS/Turner a thumbs up overall for their first-rate broadcasts. Special shout-out to Carter Blackburn and Debbie Antonelli, a terrific team during first- and second-round games.
▪ New UK offensive coordinator Liam Coen on Tuesday, talking about his new pupils: “They want to learn.” As a Kentucky football fan, that’s what you want to hear.
▪ You also wanted to here this from Coen on running back Chris Rodriguez: “He should get the football 20-25 times a game.”
▪ Think there’s a pent-up appetite to attend live horse racing? Tickets for Saturday race days during Keeneland’s Spring Meet sold out in 15 minutes on Tuesday. The meet begins April 2. The Toyota Blue Grass Stakes will be run Saturday, April 3.
▪ The Bengals made a significant signing last week in Riley Reiff, the veteran offensive tackle formerly with the Minnesota Vikings. It says here that even with Reiff on board, the Bengals should still select an offensive lineman early in next month’s draft.
▪ Count me all-in on the Reds moving Eugenio Suarez to shortstop and Mike Moustakas to third base to make room for rookie Jonathan India. The No. 5 overall pick out of Florida in 2018, India has had a strong spring at the plate for Cincinnati. And the Reds need all the offensive help they can get. Season starts April 1. That’s next Thursday.
