Saturday, March 17, 2007

Second Round Saturday

This entry is cross-posted on TNR's blog, Posting Up:

John's questions about officiating are fair--the foul sending Greg Oden with a minute left in regulation was a critical call, but did not seem to be a lot of contact. Oden's fifth could have been called an intentional foul, which would have probably sealed it for Xavier in regulation.

All that being said, OSU responded without Oden in the OT, and they seemed to be a sleeker, and in some ways, a more dangerous team when he was on the bench. The comeback (from down 9 with 2:54 left in regulation) was also a huge confidence-builder for a young (albeit talented) team.

The OSU performance will bring out all of the questions about the Big 10 (and I, for one, am not sold on #2 Wisconsin, by a long shot.) But tonight's game against Michigan State could be a trap game for UNC. If the Spartans can withstand the inevitable runs, and shorten the game, I would not be surprised to see another #1 seed in trouble...

Finally, thinking of the N17 on this 17th of March, and an old school addition to Jason's Separated at Birth: Syracuse's Marty Headd.

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