Best announcing team (which can greatly be aided by having the fortune of calling good games): Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery. “You said pudgy? It’s attractive!” … “Onions! Double order!” – Raftery.
Silver medal: Kevin Harlan and Dan Bonner. Mostly because Harlan’s call on the Gonzaga win was one for the books. Bonner can be grating, but he’s perpetually excited, and that makes for a good telecast.

Biggest letdown (player): James Harden, Arizona State. The All-American was awful Friday against Temple (1-for-8, 9 points) and Sunday in a loss to Syracuse (2-for-10, 10 points). It probably didn’t hurt his draft stock, but it was a terrible ending to a great sophomore year. They only lose Pendergraph, so maybe Harden returns for another run.

Biggest letdown (team): Wake Forest. Seth Davis of CBS/SI, who apparently watches a ton of hoops, had Wake in the Final Four. So did ESPN’s Andy Katz. The Deacons got jumped by Cleveland State Friday and never were in the game. It’s like the 16-0 start and wins over UNC and Duke never happened.

Annoying, if not accurate, media moment: Dick Vitale relentlessly pumping up Oklahoma State’s Travis Ford. It was tough to find ESPN Gameday this weekend, but without fail, anytime Dick and Digger and Rece got together, Vitale was cheerleading for Ford. Why didn’t he heap the same love on Mike Anderson of Missouri or Dayton’s Brian Gregory?

Most dominant team: Connecticut. Average margin of victory – 41 points, which was higher than any other No. 1 seed.
Silver medal: North Carolina. Averaged 92.5 ppg despite missing their PG in the opener and not having him 100 percent vs LSU.

Most dominant player East: Sam Young, Pitt, who scored a combined 46 points and collected 21 in two wins. Blair owned the first half against ETSU; Young did the same against OK State, and Fields was clutch in the end.

Most dominant player South: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma. He’s got 61 points and 30 rebounds in two games, along with the best dunk of opening weekend. Michigan mauled him and Morgan State flipped him. Good luck, Arinze Onuaku.

Most dominant player Midwest: Cole Aldrich, Kansas. Could have gone with his teammate Sherron Collins, but Aldrich’s triple double (13 points, 20 rebounds, 10 blocks) on the heels of his late dominance (and 23 points, 13 rebounds) against North Dakota State gives him the edge.

Most dominant player West: AJ Price, Connecticut. Right there with Jonny Flynn, Collins, and Lawson as the best PG in the tournament. He’s got 47 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in two games, and is 9-for-18 from three. Next test will be much more stern: defensive-minded Purdue.

As expected: With no point guard, Louisville has committed 36 turnovers in two games. Hopefully, the Cards stumble against Arizona’s funky zone, but actually lose this time.

Conference fallout:
Big 12: 9-3
Big East: 11-2
Big 10: 6-5
ACC: 5-5
SEC: 1-3
Pac 10: 6-5