Real Deal

UK didn't look so good to start the game, but they pulled themselves together quickly and ended up crushing the opposition. Boring game, really. Can't wait to see someone actually challenge Wall, Cousins and Bledsoe, though.

The Cats are looking good. I seriously think they can beat Syracuse. This game was against a bottom-feeder, but just the way they ran their offense, they have the goods to get to the Final Four.

Tennessee started pulling away for a bit, but SDSU made a comeback and almost stole the win. There should've been some fouls called down the stretch, a couple of pushes in the backs on rebounds, but those no-calls were for both teams at different points of the second half, so it evened out.

This game was all about huge scoring runs. Montana almost pulled out victorious here, but New Mexico hit their shots in the end, and played some tough defense in the second half.

Nice chokejob by Texas. This game should've been over before the OT.

So you're separating the pick from the player? I've made this argument somewhere else, probably on the old OTR. But I disagree with Darko, because he was scouted as a top player in the draft. He has been given the opportunity to prove it, and he failed, with no excuses whatsoever. An unfortunate event, and a player not being able to play good basketball, are two different things. Darko is not a good player. Oden is a good player stricken with an unfortunate event. One is a bust, one isn't.

So if a player is killed in a car accident a year after he's picked #1 in the NBA Draft, you'd consider him a bust? When healthy, Oden played up to his potential. If I was in a game and someone ran their shoulder into my knee, destroying it and ending my career, that would automatically consider me a bust? Someone else's negligence, ruining my career, gives others the right to call me "less of a player" or a player that "didn't deserve the #1 pick" in the draft? Oden deserved a top three pick. Calling him a bust means that he didn't deserve it.

Georgetown losing would ruin part of my bracket, but man, that would be fantastic for KU.

What? He was a top three defensive center in the NBA, arguably top two and right beside Howard. That's exactly what he was projected to be.

YES! I knew it would happen. Sick, sick game.

Chalk up my first loss here.

Robert Morris was robbed. But it did help my bracket. If Nova had lost, I was screwed.

Players considered busts are those who don't play up to expectations. Oden did. Injuries don't make a player a bust. If that was the case, you'd have to say that for accidents as well, and we'd all be calling Jay Williams a bust.

That's funny. That lame Sacramento team, the one that sucks, beat his Bucks on December 19th...and in that game, Jennings was dominated by both Evans and Udrih. It's all good, though. He will be in Sacramento this Friday.

Just an FYI - if Kirk was starting at point, or playing the majority of his minutes there, he'd be on top of this list.

Right, but while Turner would've made a difference, I think it wouldn't have been that big. OSU would've won the game with Turner, but I can't say they would've cruised to a victory.

I thought about it, but after seeing Butler do away with OSU and nearly beat Georgetown, I put them into the second round in MOST of my brackets. I'm interested to see what Howard will do for the Bulldogs. Should be a heck of a defensive-minded game, at least.

Haha, I know that. Same thing we talked about with David Lee. You have to judge players based on their primary positions, because otherwise, you really don't know how well they perform. Maybe Hinrich would tire quicker this season, if he had to play point all year, and his defense would show for it. Hell, Dwyane Wade is a combo guard. I wouldn't list him as the best point guard in the NBA, though...but maybe I should, because he can play the point? Doesn't make sense to do that.

Get out of this game with no injuries, please. Rock chalk.

Haha, I have them taking out Duke in about half of my brackets. Good choice.

Hinrich is a two-guard, starts there and plays the majority of his minutes for Chicago at that position. Rajon Rondo Jason Kidd Chauncey Billups Russell Westbrook Deron Williams Could re-arrange that order over and over again, really. I almost want to put Kidd above everyone because he can defend three positions on the floor well, but he does have defensive lapses that last an entire game.

Just created a March Madness Gameday forum for us to discuss every game of the tourney. http://www.otrbasketball.com/forums/forum/109-march-madness-2010-gameday

TIME: 9:45 PM EST

TIME: 9:40 PM EST

TIME: 9:35 PM EST