Saturday wrap: Butler-Pitt ending tourney's signature sequence
Let's break this down: 2.2 seconds. Two lead changes. One tie. The craziest ending to an NCAA tournament game -- ever? The range of emotions involved in the final seconds of Saturday's Butler-Pittsburgh game was unprecedented. If you haven't seen the video, check it out. A go-ahead lay-up, a terrible foul 50 feet from the basket, a missed free throw, an unconscionable foul 90 feet from the basket and an ensuing game-winning free throw. In 2.2 seconds. Seriously.
Best game from Saturday: I could replace "Saturday" with "the season" and not be too far off. The Butler-Pittsburgh thriller was just that good. Butler shot 46 percent, Pittsburgh better than 56 percent. Butler knocked down a dozen 3-pointers, Pitt shot nearly 55 percent from behind the arc. Of course, that has nothing to do with how memorable the game was. The ending will be the signature sequence of this season's NCAA tournament.
Worst game from Saturday: Gonzaga looked like it was finally living up to the preseason hype, winning 10 games in a row and dominating sixth-seeded St. John's on Thursday. Then Jimmer happened. BYU's All-American guard scored 34 points and dished out six assists to lead BYU to an 89-67 victory and the Cougars to their first Sweet 16 appearance since 1981. BYU shot better than 52 percent from the field and went 14 for 28 from 3-point range. An 11-2 run to start the second half put the game out of reach.
Most impressive win: Outside of Butler, no lower-seeded teams won on Saturday, but Wisconsin overcame a tremendous performance by Kansas State to advance to the Sweet 16. Kansas State shot nearly 46 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range, and also received 38 points from Jacob Pullen. Despite all that, Wisconsin made plays down the stretch to win 70-65. Jordan Taylor clinched the game with two free throws and a timely block on Pullen with one second left.
| NCAA tournament |
Mike FreemanUnusual finish leads to usual result: a Pitt fall. Read More >> |
Pete PriscoBrandon Knight is the star Saturday, but Kentucky would be finished without Josh Harrellson. Read More >> |
Dennis DoddAztecs nearly stumble during historic tourney run. Read More >> |
Matt NorlanderMorehead State loss tough, not just for players, coaches. Read >> |
| Related links |
| Regional coverage |
| Video |
Most embarrassing loss: This was supposed to be the year Pittsburgh rid itself of the notion that it couldn't reach the Final Four or be consistently successful in the NCAA tournament. The Panthers were placed atop the softest region in the bracket -- and still didn't make it out of the first weekend. Pittsburgh has received a 4 seed or better in seven of Jamie Dixon's eight years, yet has made it out of the first weekend only three times and never advanced to the Elite Eight.
Player who rose to the occasion: Until Brandon Knight made that game-winner against Princeton -- his only points of that game -- people began to wonder if he would step up as a go-to-guy at some point. His 30 points in Kentucky's 71-63 victory against West Virginia certainly settled the argument. Knight scored the Wildcats' first six points and 14 of their first 21 in the first half. He also scored seven points in the final minute to ice the game.
Player who faded in the spotlight: What a difference two days makes. On Thursday, Gonzaga's Marquise Carter finished with 24 points, six rebounds and six assists to help lead the Bulldogs to an impressive victory against St. John's. On Saturday, Carter played a scoreless 31 minutes, shooting 0 for 6 from the field. He dished out four assists, but Gonzaga needed Carter's offensive production in order to keep up with BYU. He disappeared.
Why you should listen to me: In my Edge previews the past two days, I pegged Wisconsin's Jon Leuer and Richmond's Justin Harper as the differences in their respective third-round battles. Leuer posted 19 points and seven rebounds against Kansas State, proving to be too quick and versatile for the Wildcats' big men. Harper went for 19 points and six boards in the Spiders' Round of 32 victory against Morehead State. The Eagles simply couldn't stop Harper when it mattered.
Don't trust my predictions: Not even one weekend into the NCAA tournament, and I'm already down one Final Four team. I never like trusting Pittsburgh in the Big Dance, but the committee gave the Panthers a cakewalk to Houston by placing them with Florida and BYU in the Southeast Regional. Apparently, it's same old Pittsburgh. The Panthers were never as feared as Ohio State or Kansas this season, and they proved why by losing to Butler on Saturday.
Parting shots to remember:
• We will have at least one double-digit seed in the Sweet 16, as No. 12 Richmond defeated No. 13 Morehead State 65-48. Kenneth Faried had his usual double-double for Morehead State, with 11 points and 13 rebounds, but he could not dominate against Richmond's stifling defense and timely offense.
• We finally had some bonus basketball in the tournament's first weekend, as No. 2 San Diego State took two overtimes before pulling away from seventh-seeded Temple 71-64. The Aztecs' frontcourt trio of Billy White, Malcolm Thomas and Kawhi Leonard combined for 45 points, 31 rebounds, seven assists, four steals and five blocks.
• Kemba Walker shows no signs of slowing down. The tireless Connecticut guard had 33 points to lead the Huskies to a 69-58 victory against conference foe Cincinnati on Saturday. Walker was hampered by wrist and leg problems, but he still managed to play nearly the entire game.
• We needed to throw a fourth note in here. Has anyone had a better first weekend than Butler's Matt Howard? The senior big man made a lay-up at the buzzer to send the Bulldogs into the round of 32, then hit the game-winning foul shot with 0.8 seconds left to beat Pittsburgh.
• The door is now open for Florida to make a run to Houston. The Gators looked the part on Saturday, surviving a back-and-forth battle with UCLA to win 73-65. Five-foot-eight Erving Walker came up big down the stretch again, scoring 10 of the Gators' final 12 points, including an unbelievable shot while falling down after he collided with 325-pound Josh Smith.
Game Balls:
• Jimmer Fredette, BYU: 34 points, six assists -- beat Gonzaga, 89-67
• Shelvin Mack, Butler: 30 points -- beat Pittsburgh, 71-70
• Kemba Walker, Connecticut: 33 points, four assists -- beat Cincinnati, 69-58
• Brandon Knight, Kentucky: 30 points, four assists -- beat West Virginia, 71-63
• Jacob Pullen, Kansas State: 38 points -- lost to Wisconsin, 70-65
Set the DVR: There are plenty of intriguing plotlines on Sunday. Washington's Isaiah Thomas and North Carolina's Kendall Marshall battle at the point, while Michigan and Duke face off in a game that has added intensity because of the recent "Fab Five" documentary. Also, CAA clubs George Mason and VCU look to knock off Big Ten opponents Ohio State and Purdue. Two more double-digit seeds take the court at night.
If Saturday taught you anything, keep an eye on each of these games until the final buzzer. Everything can change in the span of 2.2 seconds.
Sometimes, it can change twice. Or, in the case of Butler and Pittsburgh, three times.
