Save the Children, Cover your Eyes!! Oh the Humanity!

ACC Bracket? It just got demolished. Pac10? Down goes Frazia!! March is starting off pretty strong. Thank you's go to those early low-major conference championships that started the month off right. If the past 2 weeks are any indication, this tourney is shaping up to be one of the most highly-contested, wide-open fields in a long time.

To continue our look back at potential bracket-busters from the "power" conferences:

ACC
Florida St. followed suit with the rest of the ACC, knocking off it's "higher" seeded rival. Of course, I failed to really single out Al Thornton as being the biggest key to the team who might carry this team into the tourney himself. How'd they look tempo-free style?
Well, we asked them to launch more three's, which they didn't exactly do, but they did shoot 43.8% on their way to 55% efg and 1.06 points-per-possession on offense. Their D, as expected didn't exactly "lock-down" the Tigers, allowing the same 55% efg and 1.05 points-per-possession in this 63 possession game. In fact, when you look at the stats, they got beat in almost every area. But it was the clutch performances from Thornton that obviously sealed the deal. Let's see what they change for UNC's explosive defense.


Big12
Missouri blew any hope that they had of stealing a bid in their 97-83 loss to Baylor yesterday. Well, they held Baylor to only 9 offensive rebounds for a 23% offensive rebounding rate, a strong improvement from their season average, but it didn't matter as Baylor just lit up the nylon. They shot 71% efg, going 60% from beyond the arc on their 15 attempts. Oh, they also had 32 free-throw attempts, but only sank 20 of those. Baylor's 1.23 ppp vs. Missouri's 1.05 ppp powered them to the 14 points victory in this extremely fast 79 possession game. Game balls go to Curtis Jerrells and Henry Dugat, who combined for 56 points on 21 of 28 shooting, going 6 for 8 from the 3-pt line. They also both hauled in 10 boards and dished out 8 assists.


SEC
We asked the Hogs to limit their turnovers, and reap the benefits of their stellar shooting. Did they answer the call? With vengeance!!! Only giving away the ball a lowly 4 times in a 64 possession game, good for a 6% turnover rate! The shooting department kept up their bargain, hitting 54% efg on their way to a 1.29 ppp average vs. The Gamecocks .82 ppp. Even with the good shooting, they rebounding 41% of their misses and kept South Carolina at a 26% offensive rebounding rate. Balanced scoring (4 were in double digits) was led by Darian Townes 16 points in only 22 minutes of play on 9 shot attempts, good for a 1.53 ppws. A match up with Vandy looms today, a team they beat by 15 just a week ago.


Pac10
Washington took care of business yesterday, but came up short against a solid Washington St. Cougars squad. Almost eerily, they allowed their average of 55% efg and of course, limited Wazzu's second chances, only giving up a 24% offensive rebounding rate. But, they couldn't shoot as well (48% efg) and turned it over 22% of the time vs. Wazzu's expected 13% in this Wazzu-pace dictated game of 63 possessions. Wazzu finished at 1.18 ppp vs. Washington's 1.02 average. Balanced scoring by Wazzu (double digits for 4 guys) was led by Taylor Rochesties 20 points on 9 shots and 7 for 7 free throw shooting. Watch for a deep NIT run from this young, but athletic crew.