Let’s just say this is not the way Villanova fans or even Big East fans expected this tournament to play out. Villanova was once on a path to get a #1 seed in the tournament, but they 6 of their last 10 games heading into the tournament and were lucky (I mean undeserving) to get a #2 seed. Then in the first round, they were lucky to get the game to overtime, after being outplayed for the entire game.

Today, they were once again lucky to be close towards the end of the game. That’s a lot of luck, so it was soon to run out.

Scottie Reynolds was 2 of 11 from the field and as a whole Villanova only shot 36% (compared to 50% for St. Mary’s). The loss hurt an enormous amount of people’s brackets. Villanova was a popular Final Four pick (I was one of them), but thinking in retrospect the signs were there that it was not meant to be. It seems to me the big name and reputation of Villanova in the best conference clouded my vision.

Then when Villanova benched Reynolds and Fisher to start the game against Robert Morris, I had the feeling it wasn’t going to be a good tournament for them. The NCAA Tournament is all about momentum. Villanova didn’t have very much momentum heading into the tournament and then they benched their best players to start the tournament. I understand it was for undisclosed disciplinary reasons, but I would have liked to hear more about the situation. Disciplinary problems heading into the tournament shows a lack of focus and that is how Villanova played in their brief tournament run.

That is as sophisticated as I can explain the first day of this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The rest of the tournament has a lot to live up to after one of the wildest days in College Basketball history.

• There were three games that went to overtime, one of them was double overtime (BYU-Florida).
• 7 of the 16 games had the lower seed win (5 double digit seeds)
• The Big East – that saw 8 teams make the tournament – was 1-3 (the three losses were upsets)
• 7 of the 16 games were decided by 3 or less points
• Of the 7, 3 were decided by 1 point
• Powerhouse Georgetown, predicted by many to get to the Elite 8 (not me), didn’t just lose to #14 Ohio, they got destroyed by 14 points
• Danero Thomas of Murray St. was calm and collected as he nailed a buzzer beater to send #4 Vanderbilt packing
• Villanova got all they can handle from Robert Morris in an overtime thriller

I can not wait for the rest of this tournament!

What do you think was the best moment from day one action?
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Syracuse – Jim Boeheim’s “2-3 Zone” is the best zone defense I have ever seen. Their 2-3 Zone defense shut down incredible teams including Villanova, which is one of the top shooting teams in the country. Syracuse is very athletic and could be a clear example of the old saying, “Defense wins championships.” Syracuse is ranked number one in the Big East in field goal shooting.

West Virginia – The wolverines are often overlooked in the conference. However, they have a very talented team that can easily take home the Big East Championship. Every team they have lost to in the Big East, they have also defeated. He is not very big in the paint, but there is no doubt that senior forward Da’Sean Butler, who is averaging 17.2 points per game, is a tremendous player. Even though Syracuse is the favorite in the Big East, West Virginia is not far behind and I would not be surprised if they win the postseason title.

Georgetown – They are not ranked very high in the Big East conference standings. Even though they have the talent, especially with top pro prospect Greg Monroe, Georgetown does not have a very good chance on winning the postseason title. However, they will most likely be playing in the NCAA Tournament later this month.

Texas – Texas has a decent chance of winning it all this year. They are probably the most overrated team in the top ten. The Longhorns are very big, but they tend to struggle towards the end of the game. Dexter Pittman and Damion James are two outstanding big men. However, they easily fall into foul trouble, which leads to the rest of the team looking for players to help out down low. They are also going to have to step it up defensively down the stretch.

Kentucky – The Wildcat’s head coach John Calipari may be a bit controversial, however, you must give credit where credit is due. He has taken a very young team, many of which are freshmen, and has made them play as a team. The Wildcats are very young and athletic. They have an amazing point guard in John Wall, a tremendous shooter in Eric Bledsoe, and an athletic big man in DeMarcus Cousins. However, their biggest strength may also be their biggest weakness. They are indeed very young, with 8 freshman and sophomores, and can struggle under pressure. I really want to see what is going to happen to Kentucky after this season as John Wall seems to be another “one and done.”

Villanova – Villanova is without a doubt the most consistent team in the country. They are in a very tough conference and definitely have the experience to back them up. Senior guard Scottie Reynolds has average 14.8 points or more in each of his seasons. This year he is averaging 18.7 points per game. They have help in the front court with Antonio Pens and Duke transfer Taylor King, who can also shoot the ball as well anyone in the country. In addition to that, they also have McDonalds All American, freshman guard Dominic Cheeks, coming off the bench as well.

Kansas – Although Kansas may seem to be the favorite; I have a very hard time believing the hype. As of today, they have only faced 3 top 25 teams, one of which they lost and another they barely won. There is no doubt that they have the talent both in the front and back-court, but they have not established themselves as the best team in the country. In their loss to Tennessee, the Volunteer lineup was very weak as they lost key players due to injuries, dismissals, and suspensions. Yet, Tennessee still came out and defeated Kansas who seemed to have played only the first half. Even though it was their only lost, Kansas still is not convincing enough must make a statement by winning their conference championship towards the end of the season.

Duke – As much as I love them, Duke is without a doubt, the most overrated team in the country. Defensively, they are absolutely terrible. It seems as if anyone can drive past them. Also, they can often at times get really cold from beyond the arc, which is their first option. John Scheyer has been playing great. However, their bench is very weak. The only upside to their bench is the young freshmen Mason Plumlee, who is one of the most athletic forwards in the country. Andre Dawkins, who started off the season great, has lost his shot ever since he lost his sister due to a car accident. He has not played the same since. Duke really needs to step it up defensively and really needs to find some help off the bench if they want to make it all the way this year.