Upsets show Big East isn't so dominant
Butler's upset of top-seeded Pittsburgh on Saturday proved that the Big East doesn't have as big an advantage over the rest of college basketball as many thought. (Mar. 19, 2011) Credit: AP
DENVER -- The beauty of the bracket is its unpredictability, its maddening matchups and its refusal to adhere to high-seed favoritism.
Every March, unknown athletes become household names as upstart underdogs pull off the improbable and sway national support in their favor. This week's Denver subregional provided some of the most thrilling, stomach-churning upsets thus far in the tournament and, in the process, poked holes in the argument that Big East basketball is the best in the country.
BYU, seeded No. 3 in the Southeast bracket, will travel to New Orleans to face No. 2 seed Florida in the Sweet 16 Thursday. The Cougars defeated the Gators, 99-92, in double overtime in the first round of last year's tournament.
Upset-minded Richmond, seeded 12th in the Southwest, will head to San Antonio to face top-seeded Kansas or No. 9 seed Illinois. But while the remaining teams plan for the future, Big East teams such as St. John's and Louisville are left to reflect on what could have been.
The sixth-seeded Red Storm came to the Mile High City with a lot of confidence, but 11th-seeded Gonzaga bulldozed its way through St. John's defense and into the third round. No. 4 Louisville, the runner-up in the Big East Tournament, had aspirations of going far, but by the end of its 62-61 first-round loss to 13th-seeded Morehead State, Rick Pitino was questioning his future as a college coach.
Jimmer-mania descended upon the Pepsi Center as the Cougars (31-4) beat 14th-seeded Wofford before dismantling Gonzaga in the third round Saturday night, thanks to 66 total points from guard Jimmer Fredette. He cemented his superstar status by scoring the most points (34) in any game in this year's NCAA Tournament.
"It was a great atmosphere for us. Great fans," Fredette said.
The Gators, who defeated seventh-seeded UCLA on Saturday, will have their hands full with Fredette, the nation's leading scorer. But the big stage is nothing new for coach Billy Donovan. The Gators, back-to-back national champions in 2006-07, are a deep, experienced and talented team.
Richmond's upset of fifth-seeded Vanderbilt may not have been as gripping as Butler's controversial stunner over top-seeded Pittsburgh, but the Spiders (28-7) have proven to be a tough out. They're 16-0 when they hold opponents under 60 points -- a statistic Morehead State learned the hard way.
"We're happy to be in the Sweet 16. We're honored to be there," said point guard Kevin Anderson, who, along with Justin Harper, led Richmond to a 65-48 third-round win over Morehead State.
But it was Morehead State's dramatic win over in-state rival Louisville on the first day of regional action that created the most buzz. Demonte Harper hit a clutch three-pointer late and Kenneth Faried, projected to be a first-round pick, had 12 points and was his usual rebounding force with 17.
"All coaches use the cliché that, with rebounders, every shot is a pass to you," Pitino said after the loss. "He's the only one I've seen since Dennis Rodman truly make that statement true."
