The Inaugural "Opening Thursday" Running Diary

• 7:08- Coming to you live from Barnacle's! Games about to tip....
  
• 7:10- Duke/Belmont tips first....Belmont leads! ummm...short-lived I'd imagine....As we speak K-State/USC tips in the highlight game of the night....
• 7:13- 5-5 Belmont/Duke...K-State out early 6-2....The Michael Beasley/Derrick Coleman comparison has legs....but noone would ever say it if he wasn't left-handed...that's all i'm saying...
• 7:15- This is the only game for the rest of the year that Duke will enjoy a size advantage in....let that sink in if this the team you've hitched a wagon to....
• 7:17- Belmont plays til the first TV timeout to a draw...7-7....Bill Walker (K-State) gets lost in the Beasley hype but he can play....and this is the 2nd time he's been overshadowed (OJ Mayo in college)....K-State 8-5 early...
• 7:19- Wazzu tipping off....In the company of Ryan who has Wazzu going to the final 4 here....pins and needles....hahaha....Enough of the Kimbo Slice commercials...he scares everyone at the table with me....as we speak, 2nd foul on Michael Beasley....uh-oh....he's sitting...interested to see how long he sits
• 7:22- Scratch that size advantage for Duke....unless Zoubek is in....if he's out....even height...sad....Belmont's hanging...14-11....Wazzu 4-2 in a typical slow start....
• 7:29- Quick...name someone on K-State other than Beasley and Walker............I couldn't either...Beasley's been out for a while and USC isn't making any progress....As I say that, Beasley re-enters with 2 with 12:21 to go....wow thats early.....nice throwdown by Gerald Henderson off the alley-oop by Paulus....Duke up 2...
• 7:32- K-state up 16-11 at the under 12 timeout....Wazzu 8-8....with 12:30 to go, haha....first to 50 wins....literally...22-22 Duke/Belmont....This is the problem with Duke...can't put anyone away when you just bomb 3s with no inside game....
• 7:37- The last tip occurs with A&M and BYU....man that was a long time....K-State still leads 18-12 on USC without alot from Beasley....10 minutes in Beasley 2, Mayo 0 points....wow
• 7:41- Winthrop and Belmont both threatening late in the 1st....give me one game to the wire please....BYU scoreless through 4 minutes....8-0 A&M; Belmont is back-cutting Duke to death...it's just there...all day baby...35-33 Duke...Seems like a game Kyle Singler should be dominating...but he isnt
• 7:47- USC's offense looks terribly out of sync....getting next to nothing from Mayo and not taking advantage of a subpar half from Beasley, if he turns it on here, they're in trouble....Bill Walker is crushing btw...14 points....11-0 A&M...BYU scoreless for 6 minutes.....
• 7:51- Duke with an unacceptable 8 TO's so far...Belmont's not even pressing....Washington State game is borderline unwatchable, 19-19  with 4 min to go in the first....competitive though.....BYU is on the board! just saying....(I picked them)......3rd foul...yes 3rd...on Taj Gibson for USC....why's he on the floor?
• 7:55- OJ Mayo is FG-less....USC somehow hanging around down 6....BYU has 4 points in 9 minutes...they're going after that points record Kent State set this afternoon.....Bill Walker has 17 points...still playin in the 1st....Texas A&M hasnt scored in 6 minutes....11-6 midway through the half
• 7:59- Beasley awakens with a filthy spin to the right-hand floater....and 1....USC Down 10 and looking very vulnerable....but Mayo/Beasley both equally sucking....well Mayo a lil more...
• 8:02- K-State up 10 at half...paging OJ Mayo's hype.....Winthrop/Wazzu tied at 29-29...yawn-fest thus far.....Fully focused on A&M and BYU...as it's the only game not at half-time.....Hurray! 20-10 A&M for reference...
• 8:11- A&M and BYU on 4 screens next to each other...dunno how I feel about that....that said, 24-16 A&M...really not a very entertaining game...for the record, I think BYU has a run in them....and not just b/c I have them in my pool
• 8:17- 26-23 A &M....here comes BYU....they look...slow....shocking right? (insert prejudicial joke here)....as we speak they knock down a triple...26-26....1:45 to go....Only a matter of time til a veteran team starts knocking down some shots
• 8:21- The other 3 games are coming back as BYU winds down...BYU game tied going to half....Duke extends the lead to 9 at the outset of the 2nd half , this could easily get ugly or Belmont could hang around...I really can't tell
• 8:24- Im gonna quote Ryan here and say, "Give the ball to Aron Baynes!" for Wazzu...Derek low suspiciously absent thus far too.....USC better get started quickly in the 2nd half, got a serious mountain to climb while keeping Beasley down...
• 8:26- OJ Mayo is breathing...lead down to 6.....Washington State lengthens the lead to a robust 4 (laughter)....Man, I can't get behind USC's offensive approach so far....too early 00's NBA for me..clear-outs galore...run something.....
• 8:28- Taj Gibson commits his FOURTH foul...for some reason he's starting the 2nd half with 3....come on Tim...you're supposed to be deep.....Beasley with the and-1 on said foul....K-State by 9.....Duke better go ahead and put Belmont away or they're gonna hang around....
• 8:32- Mayo's keeping USC in it...down 6...Washington State slightly pulling away...lead is 9 now...huge compared to them.....Belmont to the rim...Brian Zoubek is a liability for Duke in this game...they just spread him out and drive it at him....lead cut to 3.....USC back in it, down 4....nice run capitalized with a ridiculous dunk...
• 8:34- Belmont cuts the lead to 1....my God...please let this go to the wire...missed a 3 as we speak that woulda brought the house down....
• 8:37- Duke's gonna get every call I have a feeling...favorites usually do...especially them....I feel like the Wazzu game has been scoreless for hours....38-29 Wazzu...lead looking insurmountable....lol.....And btw..."My Better is better than your better"...me and Ryan love this commercial...more of this please
• 8:39- USC fighting....Beasley with 11 despite 3 fouls...I'd be taking it at him every single trip...gotta get him off the floor any way you can...big 3 as I type...45-43 K-State....Looking like it's going to the wire....Winthrop still down 9...hanging around, but not really....make sense? Does to me....
• 8:41- OJ Mayo with a drive-and-dish showing flashes of why he could be so special if he brings his unselfishness to the forefront more....Belmont totally hanging....Just took the lead...this is semi-crazy....USC takes the lead at 48-47...Finally some excitement today....
• 8:43- Texas A&M comes out of halftime finally....Josh Carter is running the show...he has 17...next leading scorer has 4....everyone else is just dancing around.....Excitement is building in Belmont/Duke...tied with 9 minutes left....Beasley's starting to take over vs USC.....
• 8:46- Finally a Trent Plaisted sighting for BYU....Mountain West player of the year emerges....ties the game for BYU....Every time I look up Michael Beasley's at the line....Up 1...
• 8:50- Tim Floyd is driving me insane.....manage your foul rotation...one time....4 on Davon Jefferson and Taj Gibson playing with 4...with 11 min left...inexcusable...K-State lengthens the lead to 6...
• 8:54- Huge 4 point play for Jon Scheyer....Duke by 6.....Terrible sequence by OJ Mayo...shot selection lacking....K-State by 8...A&M and BYU are barely even playing it seems....stand-still
• 8:56- Belmont still in the ballgame....So much excitement in that building right now...and it helps that the announcers are openly rooting for them...
• 8:59- K-State trying to put USC away...lead is 7 with Beasley going to the line....need Mayo to take over....or go elsewhere...
• 9:02- K-State keeps getting and-1 layups....still leading by 8...getting late with 5:33 to go....Trent Plaisted starting to heat up for BYU...
• 9:05- I feel like Belmont is still in the game with 2:44 to go....oh wait, they are....down 3....Openly rooting for Belmont despite my Duke allegiance...just to see it...K-State may have just daggered USC...up 11....okay...Beasley just really daggered them...huge 3 to go up 12 with 3 to go....that should do it....
• 9:07- Belmont binks a 3...cut to 1...2:20 to go...a ticky-tack foul and Belmont's on the line shooting for the lead...done and done...belmont up 70-69....time to start texting/calling people....
• 9:12- Duke ball down 1 with 1:05....
• 9:13- Big stop for Belmont...with the ball with 47.9 sec...up 1....
• 9:14- Gerald Henderson to the rack...up 1...oh my...Belmont guard gets mugged to the rim....and a phantom jump-ball call....still belmont's ball
• 9:16- Throws it away....game....Duke....wow...that was fun
• 9:17- In other news, K-State put away USC about 8 minutes ago....Up 13 with 1:00 to go...the Beasley/Walker show takes it on the road again....
• 9:20- Okay, turning our sights to BYU/A&M....A&M leads by 1 with 4:25..Not gonna lie...haven't watched this much...focused now....
• 9:22- Paging Trent Plaisted...You're needed in the post...11 points isn't gonna cut it...
• 9:27- Longest....game...ever....A&M up 2...I need BYU to actually run a set all the way through....
• 9:29- Plaisted lives....and-1 with the jumphook....missed the FT though....lead is 2...A&M answers...just getting into the lane at will...Josh Carter with 26 of the 61 for TA&M....
• 9:31- A&M lengthens the lead to 6....as I type BYU hits a gigantic 3 to stay in...under a minute to go....you can see the vets on BYU...just even keel....that said, severely out-manned and from what I've seen, out-coached....all I'm saying...
• 9:34- Ballgame....A&M hits the dagger..and there goes my perfect bracket...dang....Well that'll wrap it up for the evening session.....Break...and then back for the late night

• Aaaaannnnnd we're back......
• 9:44- Notre Dame tipping off...with a monster 3....and Mason returns the favor...On the record I think ND smashes them here...no sound reasoning why...
• 9:47- Couple of outlandish shot attempts early for ND....we're just pulling now...
• 9:50- Harangody's gonna go off....there's no match....and he's already the Big East player of the year...he's going like 27 and 12....
• 9:53- Offensive execution has been money so far for ND...Wisconsin is tipping...Ryan says..."Yawn"...oh yea, 17-7 ND...
• 9:57- Arizona is tipping...definitely the game of the session....Wisconsin down 10-6...has to be the most unwatchable game of the day...can't get excited enough about it...
• 10:00- ND up 20-7....hmmm....Hopefully we'll get one competitive game this session...it's gonna have to be Arizona....
• 10:02- Chase Budinger just disappears...for full stretches....frustrating to watch..has all the tools....Wisconsin came out with no intensity...rare for a Bo Ryan team...look totally flat to me....Same with Arizona, but that's not new
• 10:05- Jason Bohannon....pure stroke...oh yea, he plays for Wisconsin for those of you (all of you) that don't know....
• 10:08- UCLA/Ms. Valley State tip....that's probably the only mention of that game you'll get...barring a random competitive environment by the Valley...I doubt it....
• 10:09- Wisconsin takes the lead for the first time at 17-16...hurray? lol....Fullerton hanging around though...pretty ugly basketball thus far...
• 10:11- First bad airball of the night...open spot up 3 for WV...airball short....hilarious....I'm gonna need less UCLA....
• 10:15- Scoreless since the last Wisconsin update...17-16...it's been 4 game minutes....almost reaching unwatchable territory....as we speak, Wisconsin hits a 3...up 4...please let them pull away so I don't have to watch anymore
• 10:21- UCLA 16-6...relegated to watching this game b/c of technical difficulties...the bar can't find the Zona game...kid you not.....At least Wisconsin is turning it on a bit....up 6 on CS-Fullerton...I have Wisconsin going to the elite 8...let's go....
• 10:27- Mississippi Valley State shouldn't be on the same floor as UCLA...sit Love and Mbah a Moute down and let them rest...like now...at the 10 minute mark...
• 10:30- Brian Butch gets dunked on....there's always one....he's so flat-footed and unathletic....funny
• 10:32- 26-6 UCLA....On pace for 100+....this is absolutely unholy....CS Fullerton still hanging with Wisconsin, doesn't particularly shock me...it's a style issue for Wisconsin...and they still look a bit flat to me....Fullerton cuts it to 2....okay, let's watch this a little closer....
• 10:34- Kevin Love is straight dominating....not a shocker....that'll happen to the best of them...yay! Zona is back...best game is available...Gonna need some Jarryd Bayless in my life....
• 10:36- Halftime in Omaha...Wisconsin up 2....Closer than the experts think!!! haha....I'm wearing down a bit...fighting through...I need a couple close games here...namely Zona/WV because that's a nice little stylistic battle of pretty evenly matched teams....Elsewhere, ND's lead is down to 12 at half...oh you forgot that game was on? me too
• 10:39- Chase Budinger absolutely explodes to the rim...that's that freak athleticism we keep hearing about....he's so long and sneaky quick...nice combo
• 10:40- Ridiculous bail-out at the buzzer....Nic Wise hits one of 2 and goes to the locker room down 1....half-time! Slight break....brb
• 10:49- K, almost died there...back in full force...most games at half...It's just really the UCLA slaughter....Not alot to comment on here...
• 10:52- ND/Mason back on...hurray....If they'd just pound the ball to Harangody this would be over already...that's my only real observation...guy isn't the POY in the conference for nothing....
• 10:58- CS Fullerton has a shot here...I have no idea why or how...but they do....It's tied....early 2nd...Wisconsin has never shown the ability to put anyone of substance away to me...and Fullerton is better than the Michigan's and Penn State's of the world...
• 11:01- I got a feeling WV/Zona is going to the wire...law of averages....still no buzzer-beaters or drama (outside of Duke) all day...so it's up to Wis/CSF and Zona...or both...or none...
• 11:06- Wisconsin game moving at a snail's pace....if I was Wisconsin I would...push the ball? sounds weird, but they are the more athletic...
• 11:08- WV and zona openly trading buckets here....like daggers back and forth....Jordan Hill is totally outta control and charges....I think Ryan (the resident Zona fan) is shocked....except not...
• 11:11- WV has managed to spread Zona out somehow and is attacking the middle...Joe Alexander will do that...he's monster-ing...Pretty much unguardable one-on-one in the post which allows them to spread the floor and they can't help off of him
• 11:14- Bo Ryan must have killed Wisconsin in practice this week...it's like they have no legs...unexplainable for a veteran team....they've been there before...CS Fullerton is definitely in this thing...Able to take advantage of turnovers so far....gotta keep capitalizing
• 11:17- Big time run from West Virginia...up 9 now after a huge 3 followed by a Zona timeout....gonna get ugly
• 11:18- Ummm Wisconsin suddenly up 11...not sure how that just happened...but it's looking pretty much over right now....just to update...
• 11:21- Notre Dame lead varying around 15...currently 16...no real threat coming from G-Mason that I can see...pretty much written it off until a run comes...
• 11:23- Nic Wise hits a big 3...cuts the WV lead to 5...did not see that coming....doesn't strike me as a big shot maker....Joe Alexander is taking layups at will....I'm gonna need an adjustment by Kevin O'Neill....like...double?
• 11:26- Umm...know I said I was going away from UCLA...but Miss. Valley St. has 19 points....with 13 minutes left in the 2nd....they might not get to 40....myyyy goodness, I'm gonna assume the dogs are called off...but if they arent...nows the time Ben Howland
• 11:28- Wisconsin's lead is 12...Team fouls are just wow....How bout 11-2 in favor of CSF? Gotta love that....Wisconsin has decided to be more aggressive (bout time) but that's just raucous...
• 11:31- Jerryd Bayless Sighting!!! gonna need more of that please....Zona down 7...
• 11:34- Notre Dame up 16 with 2 to go....no repeat performance for G-Mason...shocking! lol....Pretty impressive from ND wire-to-wire but this is where the athletic advantage for them ends...they better shoot well against Wazzu...b/c it won't exactly be smooth sailing on offense....Wisconsin game is closer....Lead cut to 8...not quite over yet, CSF def. putting up a fight..i'm impressed with them
• 11:38- Sooo many poorly run fastbreaks tonight...it's an epidemic...I need more pure PG's...all this flare out to shoot bad 3s on fastbreaks has to stop...now....rant over
• 11:41- Ridiculous continuation call for WV....missed the FT...up 7....Wisconsin up 8 with 4 to go....Arizona stumbles into a 3 after a trainwreck possession....lead is 4...
• 11:43- Bayless with back-to-back triples....lead is 1....no timeout for WV....Ballsy from Huggins...it pays off with a rattle-in 3 to go back up 4....TV timeout...63-59
• 11:46- Wisconsin by 10 with 3:30 left...looking like this one is safe...barring a miracle barrage from CS Fullerton...liked the effort though...not really confident with my Wisconsin elite 8 pick now....good game with K-State Saturday though....
• 11:47- Turnover for Arizona...down 4 with 3:28...need a couple stops here...as I say that....3 by Ruoff of West Virginia...pretty sure he's old enough to have played with Mike Gansey....
• 11:49- Gigantic 3 by WV again....lead is 8...gotta hurry now a little for Arizona....
• 11:50- Game ending in Omaha...Wisconsin wins pretty comfortably...
• 11:52- Foul Budinger on a 3 while down 8....he goes to the line and makes 2 of 3...lead is 6 with under 2 to go...
• 11:54- Huge offensive rebound by WV...ball game....WV up 10 with 47 seconds and thatll do it....Lack of close finishes late here....Signing off...will likely wrap up a bit tomorrow morning before the new slate of games....Thanks for reading