Let us begin with the depressing notes from last night (0-for-4! whoopee!), because negativity always plays well on the ‘net. Think we can all agree on something: Besides the end of regulation and overtime in the WVU/Xavier game, and that fleeting moment when Darren Collison fouled out and UCLA appeared to be in trouble, last night’s games were pretty horrid. And since a dozen of you inquired about it – yes, Bob Knight’s pink sweater was a strange sight, but we hear he has a matching jacket at home – you know, for hunting season, because bullies who carry weapons and piss off homeowners like to dress in pink.

* Bruce Pearl, way to run an offense. What a disgusting display from the Vols last night, and their beloved coach, who always gets a free pass from the media, should be hammered today. How many foolish shots can you possibly allow your team to hoist up? Estimated number of times the Vols actually ran a play in a halfcourt set: three.
* As brilliant as Joe Alexander has been this year, missing that free throw with the game tied near the end of regulation, and then fouling out in overtime is probably what we’ll remember most from his entire junior season at West Virginia. But this facial on Stanley Robinson is certainly up there.
* We missed the entire second half of the UNC bloodbath because we had to run an errand, but in the first half, Washington State sure picked a fine time to commit silly turnovers and miss open looks. And please don’t say UNC played stifling defense, because it didn’t. We’ve thought UNC was overrated all season, but we really hope it absolutely annihilates Louisville, which plays Pig Pen-sloppy basketball. UNC-Kansas should be fun, though.
* Ok, this one might be personal, but does anyone else think there should be an inquiry into the bank account of Western Kentucky’s Desire Gabou, his friends, family and associates? UCLA was favored by 12. They are up 12 after two free throws with seven seconds left. We can live with a push. And then, the Hilltoppers empty the bench. Usual protocol is that the benchwarmers either dribble out the clock and enjoy their moment on the hardwood, or jack up a deep three just for the F of it. But no. This Gabou kid, driving against a passive UCLA defense which was practically shaking hands with their defeated opponents, goes in for an uncontested layup. Un. F’ing. Real. What’s he going to do for an encore, break into my apartment, steal my cat and both boxes of fruit by the foot? (We don’t actually have a cat; but ‘wife’s secret orzo recipe’ just didn’t have the same ring.) The basket, we shit you not, was his only one of the season! That, friends, is a crushing way to lose. It was one of those nights where the “public” teams won out, kind of like Day One of the tourney.

Please leave all comments, thoughts, and laughter about last night’s underwhelming games on this thread; we are through talking about it. Also, many kudos to the throngs of readers who followed the games online with us. It was like we all were in a bar chatting, except in sweat pants! We’ll be around tonight, as well.