March 15, 2007
ESPN.com
Thursday afternoon thoughts...
Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals got great play of their diaper dandies. Derrick Caracter went 8-8 from the free throw line. Earl Clark was sensational, so was Edgar Sosa . They did a brilliant job of forcing turnovers as the team finished with 11 steals for the game. They jumped out to take a 48-13 and Stanford had no answer.
The Cardinals played close to home in Lexington, Kentucky while Stanford had to travel. Playing at 9:30 in the morning west coast time hurt the Cardinal; I really feel that psychologically that affected Stanford. Add in the fact that Louisville has been playing well down the stretch and it was a recipe for disaster for Stanford.
Rick Pitino is one of those coaches who is a genius in a one-game scenario. He has a way of getting kids to respond and focus. This is why he has such a good record in the NCAA Tournament. Up next for the Cardinals is the Aggies of Texas A&M.
In Boston College's win over Texas Tech, the difference in the game was certainly in the interior. Jared Dudley played a strong second half despite having three fouls. He didn't get a foul in the second half and he scored 13 and was very effect ive. The perimeter play of Tyrese Rice and Sean Marshall was the difference. Rice certainly got the edge and gave them a strong performance with Jarrius Jackson struggling for Texas Tech. The Eagles made 16 of 23 free throws. Rice was 8-8 and too much Tyrese Rice and Dudley on the inside.
Maryland pulled away in the second half to beat Davidson. Maryland started out slowly with Davidson making three's. In the second half Davidson shot three's exclusively with no inside attack. Bob McKi l lop's kids gave a gallant effort against the ACC's Terps. The Terps had balance with five guys in double figures along with having the interior presence like Ekene Ibekwe as the difference in the game. Davidson had a strong back court with Jason Richards and Stephen Curry , who had 30 points . He went 5-14 shooting three's and as a team the y went 3 -for-17 in the second half and that was the difference. It was a gutsy performance, but just too much Maryland as they out rebounded them 54-35. Ibekwe led the way with 11 off the glass. The Terps takes on the Butler in the next round.
Texas A&M had a battle with Penn, but in the end Acie Law and company came away with the W. Law had a big second half and finished with 20 points. Joseph Jones had a double-double and the Aggies committed just eight turnovers. Now Billy Gillispie's club meets Rick Pitino and Louisville in a very attractive match-up. One concern for Texas A&M is Josh Carter, who hit just one-of-seven from the floor against the Quakers.
Butler's backcourt was the key in a win over Old Dominion. The tandem of Mike Green and A. J. Graves combined for 32 points out of Butler's 57. Old Dominion was held to a season-low 46 points. Butler had a 38-26 margin in the second half to pull away. Butler made five more three-pointers in an 11-point win; you don't have to be a math major to figure out the trifecta was a key!
Georgetown got a solid game from Jessie Sapp, who hit eight-of-10 field goals and finished with 20 points. You expect Roy Hibbert (10 points) and Jeff Green (15) to score, but Sapp really came through, Belmont got off to an early 11-4 lead and people in our war room were thinking upset. The last thing you want to do is annoy a big favorite and the Hoyas responded. Years ago it was Georgetown led by Thompson and Ewing. Now it is John Thompson III and Patrick Ewing Jr. pleasing fans in the capital, baby!
The dream continues on for Washington State as Tony Bennett's team dominated in the second half against Oral Roberts. The Cougars picked to finish at the bottom of the Pac-10 in preseason polls, had a 44-26 edge in the second half. Ivory Clark came through with 19 points and the Cougars played steady, consistent basketball with just six turnovers.
Vanderbilt used a barrage of trifectas and the Commodores simply took charge early as this was not close. Give Kevin Stallings' team a lot of credit for a great performance.
Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in December 1979. Send him a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.
