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NCAA Day Four: Upsets and Trends By The
Associated Press
BUTLER DID IT!
Butler is this year's tournament darling. The 12th-seeded
Bulldogs advanced to the round of 16 for the first time in school history
with a 79-71 stunner over Rick Pitino and fourth-seeded Louisville on
Sunday. The Horizon League team that plays in the gym where the ultimate
underdog movie, ``Hoosiers,'' was filmed is writing a poignant script of its
own. Darnell Archey tied a career high with 26 points for Butler, handed its
first at-large berth in 41 years. Next, the Bulldogs take on top-seeded
Oklahoma in the East Regional semifinals Friday in Albany, N.Y.
BIG EAST BONANZA
The Big East improved to 8-0 in the NCAA tournament Sunday
with wins by Syracuse and Pittsburgh, and they will be joined in the round
of 16 by Notre Dame and Connecticut. With the four teams in different
regions, an all-Big East Final Four is still possible. The conference
received only four bids to the NCAA, which excluded one of its division
winners, Boston College. ``Our players are playing with a chip on their
shoulders,'' conference commissioner Mike Tranghese said. ``No one had to
say anything to them. They felt the league was slighted and it still doesn't
make up for the fact that we only got four teams in.''
SUPER FRESHMEN
Syracuse freshmen Carmelo Anthony, Gerry McNamara and Billy
Edelin bailed the Orangemen out against Oklahoma State in the second round
of the East Regional. They overcame an early 14-2 deficit and outscored the
Cowboys 66-42 from that point. Anthony had 13 points and Edelin, who is
sometimes overlooked, scored a game-high 20. McNamara finished with 14
despite missing nearly six minutes to have a wound bandaged above his nose.
``I don't think my right eye was working too good,'' McNamara said. ``So I
used the left eye to shoot. I had to concentrate a little more.''
THEY BELONG
Many thought Auburn shouldn't have made the NCAA tournament.
Look at the 10th-seeded now. They stunned second-seeded Wake Forest 68-62 in
the East Regional to advance to the round of 16 for the second time in five
seasons under coach Cliff Ellis. Auburn also made the regional semifinals
under Ellis in 1999. Marquis Daniels led the way, scoring seven of his 18
points in the final four minutes.
HEADED HOME
Top-seeded Texas advanced to the round of 16 for the second
straight year by beating Purdue 77-67 in the South Regional. Now the
Longhorns are headed to San Antonio and the Alamodome _ about 80 miles south
of their campus in Austin. ``It means a lot,'' said guard T.J. Ford, who had
21 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. ``We're going to use the
home-court advantage. It just feels good they believed we were going to get
there.''
TURTLE REIGN
Maryland didn't need a buzzer beater to advance to the South
Regional semifinals and keep its hopes for a second straight national title
alive. The Terrapins shut down David West early and beat Xavier 77-64 to
reach the round of 16 for the third straight year. In the first round
against North Carolina-Wilmington, Maryland won on Drew Nicholas'
desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer.
ROLLING ALONG
Kentucky has been unbeatable the last three months and it
was no different against Utah. The top-seeded Wildcats made the round of 16
for the ninth time in 11 years after routing the Utes 74-54 in the Midwest
Regional. Kentucky has won 25 straight, a run sparked by an 18-point loss to
rival Louisville on Dec. 28. The Wildcats were knocked out in the round of
16 the last two years, but it will take a major upset by Wisconsin to make
it three in a row.
SPARTAN SPIRIT
Michigan State swamped second-seeded Florida in a stunningly
easy 68-46 victory in the South Regional. Freshman guard Maurice Ager scored
16 points to help the seventh-seeded Spartans win in a rematch of the 2000
title game, also a Michigan State victory. Meanwhile, the Gators failed to
get past the first weekend of the tournament for the third straight year —
and failed to break 50 points for the first time in coach Billy Donovan's
seven years. They closed what had looked like a promising season _ they were
ranked No. 1 in the country on Feb. 3 — with four losses in five games.
LOOKING AHEAD
GAME TO WATCH: A matchup of perennial powerhouses and
coaching greats. Roy Williams and second-seeded Kansas take on Mike
Krzyzewski and No. 3 Duke in the West Regional semifinals Thursday night at
Anaheim, Cal.
UPSET SPECIAL: Notre Dame over No. 1 seed Arizona in the
round of 16 out West. This could be a wide-open, high-scoring game, and the
fifth-seeded Fighting Irish have the 3-point shooters to keep up in Matt
Carroll, Dan Miller and Chris Thomas.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Marquette junior guard Dwyane Wade is one
of the nation's most talented players, but he could have a hard time getting
into an offensive rhythm against Pittsburgh's tough, physical defense. The
Big East champion Panthers, seeded second in the Midwest, have won 11
straight games and allowed 60 points only once in their last seven.
QUOTABLE
``I was in the zone. I felt like Michael Jordan in '92
against the Blazers.'' — Butler's Darnell Archey after shooting 8-of-9 on
3-pointers to help the 12th-seeded Bulldogs upset No. 4 Louisville in the
second round of the East Regional.
Copyright 2003
Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
02/23/2007 10:46:55 AM
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