Noteworthy Games - Edition: 3.13.10

I love my Wildcats, LORD knows I do, but I cannot help but start off with Tubby Smith and the tenacious Golden Gophers of Minnesota. Minnesota held the Boilermakers(#5) to the worst first-half in Purdue's record books and rolled to a 69-42 victory in the Big Ten tournament semifinals.. It was the fewest points by Purdue in a half since the school started keeping track in 1950. Only a late layup by Patrick Bade allowed the Boilermakers to avoid the worst defeat ever in a Big Ten tournament game. Minnesota led 37-11 at the break and by as many as 34 points in the second half.

"I thought it was a very impressive and dominating performance," Smith said. "It's as good a half as I think I've been a part of as a coach."

The Golden Gophers will play Ohio State(#7) on Sunday for the Big 10 tournament championship.

Going into the SEC tourney, UK had two losses in the course of the regular season. One to South Carolina which they were able to avenge in late February. The second loss came at the hands of Tennessee in the two teams second match-up of the season. Both contests were decided by less than twelve points. Yesterday UK got a chance to avenge that second loss of the season in the semifinal round of the SEC Tourney. This time, it wasn't even close. UK handed the Volunteers their most lop-sided loss under Coach Bruce Pearl.

Of the loss, Pearl, said "We got outplayed at every position, and Kentucky's the No. 2 team in the country for a reason. They're a really, really good team. We just did not have the energy after playing two games and coming back and playing this third game. We just didn't have it."

The Vols fought tooth and nail but in the end, the Cats were just too much. Final Score: 74-45

Kansas State(#9) has not won a Big 10 tournament title in 30 years. After yesterday, make it 31. Kansas(#1) continued it's dominance winning its seventh Big 10 tournament title. Final Score: 72-64

Ohio State(#7) needed two overtimes to come away with the win and advance to the Big 10 final on Saturday. The Fighting Illini of Illinois put up a strong battle, but it in the end, they had no match for Ohio State's Player of the Year contender Evan Turner. Final Score: 88-81

Duke (#$) had to fend off an extremely pesky Miami of Ohio team to advance to the ACC Tourney final where it will meet Georgia Tech. Final Score: 77-74

More later!

- b

Noteworthy Games - Edition: 3.12.10

There were a few noteworthy games yesterday. A game with a really exciting ending, a couple where the higher seed team had to make a come-back to win, and one stunner!

I have to start off with former UK coach, Tubby Smith and the Golden Gophers of Minnesota. The un-ranked Gophers had the stunner of the day with a win over #11 Michigan State. Final Score: 72-67 I will certainly be rooting on he Gophers as they continue Big 10 semifinal play today against #5 Purdue.

The #1 Jayhawks from Kansas had to fight off a pesky Texas A&M squad who led by as many as nine early in the second half. Texas A&M went eight minutes without scoring a field goal in the second half. Final Score: 79-66

The Kentucky Wildcats were one of the teams that had to put up a comeback effort to win. UK(#2) played Alabama in the SEC semi's Friday. Most of the credit for the win went to SEC Player of the Year, UK freshman John Wall. In my opinion another freshman, Eric Bledsoe made several clutch plays and bought a lot of enthusiasm to the court. Final Score: 73-67

In the Big Ten tourney, it took a three-pointer at the buzzer by National Player of the Year contender, Evan Turner to give Ohio State(#7) the win over Michigan. Final Score: 69-68

Best of luck to these teams as they continue on in tournament play today. To those who fell yesterday, hopefully your efforts up until this point were enough to get you into the NCAA Tourney.