By JOHN P. WISEOne Great Season
I hit up Wednesday's evening session of the Big East Tournament. Bumping into a couple dozen Cincinnati alums kept our foursome from realizing just how badly the Bearcats were putting it on South Florida. UC was in control of a typically low-scoring first half, but Mick Cronin's crew really blew things wide open after the break. Putting up almost 90 and winning by nearly 30 aren't usually staples of Cincinnati's success this season, but there's no complaining here. Anyway, I'll post a few pictures on OGS a little later.
Today's Headlines
+ The big story in college baketball at this hour has less to do with bubbles and seeds and more to do with terrible officiating. The fiasco at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday prompted a flurry of activity on Twitter, leaving OGS with an obligation to our hundreds of thousands of loyal readers. Here's a sampling of whom said what after St. John's escaped Rutgers yesterday.
+ Staying in the Big East, Marquette's second win here solidified its NCAA Tournament bid, and Connecticut dominated Georgetown from start to finish.
+ Colorado remains alive on the bubble, but fellow Big 12er Nebraska won't get an invite thanks to a one-point loss to Oklahoma State.
Top Four Seeds
+ EAST — Ohio State: The Buckeyes look to redeem themselves after a Sweet Sixteen elimination last year.
+ SOUTHEAST — Pittsburgh: The Panthers tip off a huge day at the Garden in the Big East quarterfinals at noon today against UConn.
+ SOUTHWEST — Kansas: The Big 12 Tournament is a mere formality for the Jayhawks.
+ WEST — BYU: This might be the last day I keep the Cougs on the top line.
On The Bubble
+ Georgia — The Bulldogs should beat Auburn today, which puts them in a very winnable SEC quarterfinal game vs. Alabama on Friday.
Work To Do
+ Washington State — The Cougars swept the regular-season series with Washington. A third victory over the Huskies tonight puts them probably one win away from an NCAA bid.
Today's Top Read
+ For those who prefer visual stimulation over the written word, here's photographic evidence of Arkansas coach John Pelphrey violating an NCAA rule. Well done, Gary Parrish.
What To Watch
+ St. John's vs. Syracuse, ESPN, 2 p.m.
Your Tournament Video Of The Day
Georgia Tech freshman James Forrest picked a good time to make his first three-pointer of the season &mdash at the buzzer in a second-round NCAA Tournament game to beat USC in 1992.