2011 NL Central Preview

 

1. Milwaukee Brewers
2010 Record: 77-85
Projected 2011 Record: 89-73

The Lineup

The Brewers’ lineup is pretty good, with a lot of power in the form of 1B Prince Fielder in a contract year, LF Ryan Braun, RF Corey Hart, and 3B rising star Casey McGehee. Leadoff man 2B Rickie Weeks is coming off a career season (.269, 29 HR, 83 RBI) while new SS Yuniesky Betancourt, acquired from the Royals, is also a good hitter.

The Pitching

The Brewers’ pitching was one of the worst in baseball last season and prevented the team from making a run toward the postseason. Enter Zack Grienke. The Brewers acquire the 2009 AL Cy Young Winner to strengthen a long-time weakness of the team (barring any more basketball injuries). Also added was ex-Blue Jay Shaum Marcum, a very underrated pitcher who should thrive in the NL. Young stud Yovani Gallardo, who will start opening day for the second straight year, veteran southpaw Randy Wolf, and Chris Narveson round out the rotation. The bullpen is anchored by hard-throwing closer John Axford, who took over for Trevor Hoffman last season.

The Key

The hitting and pitching should be there, but in order for the Brewers to win the division, the defense must be solid to prevent cheap runs from scoring in close games down the stretch. Fielder, Betancourt, and Weeks may be great hitters, but are mediocre defenders at best.

2. Cincinnati Reds
2010 Record: 91-71
Projected 2011 Record: 87-75

The Lineup

The Reds offense broke out last year, led of course by NL MVP 1B Joey Votto (.324, 37 HR, 113 RBI). In addition, the outfield is outstanding, with CF Drew Stubbs as a combination of power and speed at the top, RF Jay Bruce providing power in the middle, and LF Jonny Gomes a consistent veteran hitter at Great American Ballpark. Veterans Brandon Phillips, Scott Rolen, and Ramon Hernandez are all in decline at this point in their careers, but are still very solid contributors to an explosive offensive attack.

The Pitching

The Reds rotation is where there are a couple question marks. Edison Volquez, who will start opening day, is a lively arm, but has yet to show continual success in the majors without getting hurt. Veteran Bronson Arroyo is a solid #2 veteran, but second year pitchers Travis Wood, Mike Leake, and Travis LeCeure must all avoid sophomore slumps and duplicate their success of 2010. Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey are also in the mix, but both will begin the season on the DL. In the bullpen, Francisco Cordero is a good closer, while having a guy that can throw 103 MPH (Aroldis Chapman) isn’t bad either.

The Key

The starting pitching. The lineup should be awesome again, but for the Reds to repeat as division champions in 2010, the question marks in the rotation must be answered again.

 






3. Chicago Cubs
2010 Record: 75-87
Projected 2011 Record: 82-80

The Lineup

The Cubs’ offense was in the middle of the pack last year, rankings 18^th in runs scored and 16^th in team batting average. Free-agent signee 1B Carlos Pena and a complete, healthy season from 3B Aramis Ramirez will definitely help the power numbers on the north side of Chicago. LF Alfonso Soriano can also hit for tremendous power, but as struggled living up to the gigantic contract he signed a couple years back. Behind the dish, catcher Geovany Soto had a good bounce back season in 2010 and his contributions are key in making Chicago’s offense more potent. The middle of the infield is largely unproven, with 21-year old phenom SS Starlin Castro getting a taste of the big leagues at the end of last year, and journeyman Jeff Baker.

The Pitching

The front-end of the Cubs rotation is solid, with veteran Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano (anger management issues behind him, we think), and righty Matt Garza, who was acquired from the Rays. The backend, once again, is shaky, though, with Randy Wells and Andrew Cashner unproven as major league pitchers. In the bullpen, Kerry Wood returns to Chicago as a setup man behind electric closer Carlos Marmol.

The Key

For the Cubs to contend this year, the offensive consistency of Carlos Pena, Aramis Ramirez, and Alfonso Soriano must be there, both power-wise and more batting-average-wise.

 







4. St. Louis Cardinals
2010 Record: 86-76
Projected 2011 Record: 81-81

The Lineup

The Redbirds return the same mediocre lineup from a year ago, which ranked 9^th in overall batting average, but just 16^th in slugging. With or without a contract extension, Albert Pujols is the best hitter in baseball, and he, along with LF Matt Holliday and CF Colby Rasmus provide all the power in this lineup. Longtime Astro Lance Berkman was added to play right field, a position he hasn’t played consistently since 2004, and a big question mark is how much he will contribute, as he has been in decline for several years. At SS, St. Louis added former Cub Ryan Theriot, who should bring some speed and average to a position that has long been a weak-spot.

The Pitching
Losing Adam Wainwright, who was runner-up for the NL Cy Young last season, for the season with an elbow injury definitely hurts the Cardinals’ World Series aspirations. However, they still have ace Chris Carpenter and pitching coach god Dave Duncan, so all is not lost. Behind Carpenter, veteran Jake Westbrook should be a solid #2 pitcher and second-year lefty Jaime Garcia is coming off a great rookie season. Kyle Lohse and Kyle McClellan round out still a very solid rotation. In the bullpen, closer Ryan Franklin is not dominant, but seems to always do the job. Flame flower Jason Motte is also an option should Franklin struggle.

The Key

In order for the Cardinals to return to the playoffs, they must get offensive production toward the bottom lineup from the declining Berkman, 3B David Freese, and Molina to take some of the load off Pujols and Holliday.

5. Houston Astros
2010 Record: 76-86
Projected 2011 Record: 71-81

The Lineup

The last time the Astros had a good offense was 2004, and last year, it hit rock bottom with the team 29^th in on-base percentage, 29^th in batting average, and 28^th in runs scored. All-Star CF Michael Bourn is a speed demon while RF Hunter Pence and 3B Chris Johnson should also be solid contributors in the lineup. However, LF Carlos Lee continued his decline in 2010, and the middle infield problems were not solved by adding mediocre veterans Bill Hall and Clint Barmes. 1B Brett Wallace is an emerging prospect for the Astros, and has had a strong spring, but has yet to show well at the majors yet and will have to continue his progression to help out an awful offense.

The Pitching

The Astros’ rotation was actually not horrible last year, but far from elite. Brett Myers earned himself the #1 spot in the rotation with a solid first season in Houston (14-8, 3.24 ERA). He will be looking to duplicate that success this year. Behind Myers is southpaw Wandy Rodriguez, who had an up-and-down 2010, but should be solid. Young star J.A. Happ, who was acquired from the Phillies in the Roy Oswalt trade, the inconsistent Bud Norris, and journeyman Nelson Figueroa round out the back end of the rotation. The bullpen, with veteran Brandon Lyon as the closer is a mix of unproven, young pitchers.

The Key

Scoring runs by getting production up and down the lineup. Easier said than done with this roster, but the Astros are going to need production from Wallace, Johnson, and Hall to even compete for a wildcard spot in 2011.

 






6. Pittsburgh Pirates
2010 Record: 57-105
Projected 2011 Record: 64-98

The Lineup

The Pirates never-ending cycle of rebuilding will continue in 2011, which means another year of growing pains. CF Andrew McCutchen is the lone star in Pittsburgh’s lineup and has five-star potential. Other young rising stars on the Pirates include second-year players who are coming off strong rookies seasons: leadoff LF Jose Tabata and 3B Pedro Alvarez, who brings a lot of power to the middle of the lineup behind McCutchen. The middle of the infield is respectable, with SS Ronny Cedeno and especially, 2B Neil Walker coming off a breakout season (.296, 12 HR, 66 RBI). Finally, veteran 1B Lyle Overbay, RF Garrett Jones, and C Chris Snyder all bring power, but not much average.

The Pitching

The annual laughing stock that is the Pirates rotation should continue in 2011, unless a lot of their young pitchers take gigantic steps forward. Veteran Kevin Correia, who will start opening day, is an average major league pitcher at best who will eat up innings. After Correia are Ross Ohlendorf, Paul Maholm1and Charlie Morton, all ex-prospects who have been disappointments at major league level, with little expected upside. 26-year old James McDonald, who rounds out the rotation, has the most potential for the group and may develop into the Pirates’ “ace” by the end of the year. In the bullpen, veteran Joel Hanrahan and Evan Meek will look to lock down opposing teams in the final innings.

The Key

For the Pirates to avoid their 19^th straight losing season, the hundreds of question marks in the Pirates’ pitching staff must be answered.

Butler, Connecticut Advance to Final Four

Southeast Region
Butler (above) may not have the most talent, but boy are they well coached. Brad Stevens gets the #8 Bulldogs to the Final Four for the second straight season, as they pull out a 74-71 overtime win over #2 Florida in New Orleans. Senior guard Shelvin Mack had 27 points, as Butler overcame an 11-point second half deficit to advance to Houston. Vernon Macklin had 25 points and dominated inside for Florida, but down the stretch, the Gators went away from the post to shoot long, contested threes which bounced awry.
West Region
Those Huskies certainly like the West. #3 UConn advanced to its fourth Final Four (all 4 out of the West Region) Saturday by edging #5 Arizona 65-63 in Anaheim. Guard Kemba Walker was outstanding again for Jim Calhoun's team, totaling 20 points and 7 assists, while freshman Jeremy Lamb was clutch down the stretch, adding 19. For Arizona, an amazing season, which included a return to the NCAA tournament and upsets of Texas and Duke in the Big Dance, comes to end one win shy of Houston. Forward Derrick Williams, likely the #1 pick in next year's NBA Draft, had 20 points and a chance to win the game with a three at the end that bounced off. 

Another #1 Bites the Dust

One of the craziest tournaments ever continued last night, with the top seed of the tournament, Ohio State, falling to Kentucky on a Brandon Knight jump shot with five seconds left in the East Region Semifinals, the third #1 seed to lose before the Elite Eight.

Here is the Elite Eight Schedule, with winners coming to Houston for the Final Four next weekend.
Today
Southeast Region
3:30 PM CT #8 Butler vs. #2 Florida
West Region
6:05 PM CT #5 Arizona vs. #3 Connecticut
Sunday
Southwest Region
1:20 PM CT #11 VCU vs. #1 Kansas
East Region
4:05 PM CT #4 Kentucky vs. #2 North Carolina

My picks: Florida, Arizona, Kansas, North Carolina

All games on CBS and March Madness on Demand.

Sweet Sixteen Schedule

Tonight
West Region
6:15 P.M. CT #3 Connecticut vs. #2 San Diego State on CBS
8:45 P.M. CT #5 Arizona vs. #1 Duke on CBS
Southeast Region
6:27 P.M. CT #3 BYU vs. #2 Florida on TBS
8:57 P.M. CT #8 Butler vs. #4 Wisconsin on TBS
Friday
East Region
6:15 P.M. CT #11 Marquette vs. #2 North Carolina on CBS
8:45 P.M. CT #4 Kentucky vs. #1 Ohio State on CBS
Southwest Region
6:27 P.M. CT #12 Richmond vs. #1 Kansas on TBS
8:57 P.M. CT #11 VCU vs. #10 Florida State on TBS

All games also on March Madness on Demand.
My bracket (torn up and thrown in the trash already) record:  28-20

Pure Madness as #1 Pitt Goes Down

Unreal how this game finished with the horrible fouls at the end of the game. In the end, #8 Butler pulled off the upset, beating #1 Pitt in the Southeast Region and further destroying my poor bracket.

In other action, #2 San Jose State held on in double OT to beat #7 Temple in the West Region and advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time ever. Kentucky, Connecticut, Richmond, Wisconsin, BYU, and Florida also all advanced.

Today's Round 3 Schedule:
(All times eastern, games also available on March Madness on Demand)
12:15 PM CBS East Region (7) Washington vs. (2) North Carolina
2:45 PM CBS West Region (8) Michigan vs. (1) Duke
5:15 PM CBS East Region (8) George Mason vs. (1) Ohio State
6:10 PM TNT West Region (5) Arizona vs. (4) Texas
7:10 PM TBS Southwest Region (11) Virginia Commonwealth vs. (3) Purdue
7:45 PM truTV East Region (11) Marquette vs. (3) Syracuse
8:40 PM TNT Southwest Region (9) Illinois vs. (1) Kansas
9:40 PM TBS Southwest Region (10) Florida State vs. (2) Notre Dame

My bracket record: 25-15

By George, They've Done It Again

Ah, gotta love Gus Johnson working March Madness. Luke Hancock hits a step-back three-pointer to give #8 George Mason a comeback win over #9 Villanova yesterday in East Region play.

Today's third round schedule
(All times eastern, games also available on March Madness on Demand)
12:15 PM CBS East Region (5) West Virginia vs. (4) Kentucky
2:45 PM CBS Southeast Region (7) UCLA vs. (2) Florida
5:15 PM CBS Southwest Region (13) Morehead State vs. (12) Richmond
6:10 PM TNT West Region (7) Temple vs. (2) San Diego State
7:10 PM TBS Southeast Region (8) Butler vs. (1) Pittsburgh
7:45 PM CBS Southeast Region (11) Gonzaga vs. (3) Brigham Young
8:40 PM TNT Southeast Region (5) Kansas State vs. (4) Wisconsin
9:40 PM TBS West Region (6) Cincinnati vs. (3) Connecticut

My bracket record: 21-11

Day Two Schedule

What a day one in the NCAA Tournament. In the video above, #13 Morehead State shocks #4 Louisville in the Southwest Region when Demonte Harper hit a game-winning three for the Eagles.

Other big shockers from day one included #12 Richmond upsetting #5 Vanderbilt in the same region and #11 Gonzaga beating #6 St. John's in the Southeast Region.

Day Two Schedule:
(All times U.S. Eastern, games also on March Madness on Demand)

12:15 p.m.: (13) Oakland vs. (4) Texas on CBS
12:40 p.m.: (9) Tennessee vs. (8) Michigan on truTV
1:40 p.m.: (15) Akron vs. (2) Notre Dame on TBS

2:10 p.m.: (9) Villanova vs. (8) George Mason on TNT
2:45 p.m.: (12) Memphis vs. (5) Arizona on CBS
3:10 p.m.: (16) Hampton vs. (1) Duke on truTV
4:10 p.m.: (10) Florida State vs. (7) Texas A&M on TBS

4:40 p.m.: (16) UT-San Antonio vs. (1) Ohio State on TNT

6:50 p.m.: (16) Boston University vs. (1) Kansas on TBS
7:15 p.m.: (15) Long Island vs. (2) North Carolina on CBS
7:20 p.m.: (14) St. Peter's vs. (3) Purdue on TNT
7:27 p.m.: (11) Marquette vs. (6) Xavier on truTV

9:20 p.m.: (9) Illinois vs. (8) UNLV on TBS
9:45 p.m.: (10) Georgia vs. (7) Washington on CBS
9:50 p.m.: (11) Virginia Commonwealth vs. (6) Georgetown on TNT
9:57 p.m.: (14) Indiana State vs. (3) Syracuse on truTV

My bracket record after day one: 10-6

Day One Schedule

Happy St. Patrick's Day! All times are U.S. Eastern Time. You can also stream live games for free online at March Madness on Demand.

12:15 p.m. -- (12) Clemson vs. (5) West Virginia on CBS
12:40 p.m. -- (9) Old Dominion vs. (8) Butler on truTV
1:40 p.m. --(13) Morehead State vs. (4) Louisville on TBS
2:10 p.m. -- (10) Penn State vs. (7) Temple on TNT
2:45 p.m. -- (13) Princeton vs. (4) Kentucky on CBS
3:10 p.m. -- (16) North Carolina-Asheville vs. (1) Pittsburgh on truTV
4:10 p.m. -- (12) Richmond vs. (5) Vanderbilt on TBS
4:40 p.m. -- (15) Northern Colorado vs. (2) San Diego State on TNT
6:50 p.m. -- (15) UC Santa Barbara vs. (2) Florida on TBS
7:15 p.m. -- (14) Wofford vs. (3) Brigham Young on CBS
7:20 p.m. -- (14) Bucknell vs. (3) Connecticut on TNT
7:27 p.m. -- (13) Belmont vs. (4) Wisconsin on truTV
9:20 p.m. -- (10) Michigan State vs. (7) UCLA on TBS
9:45 p.m. -- (11) Gonzaga vs. (6) St. John's on CBS
9:50 p.m. -- (11) Missouri vs. (6) Cincinnati on TNT
9:57 p.m. -- (12) Utah State vs. (5) Kansas State on truTV
Enjoy the games today and good luck in your brackets. My bracket

UNC-Asheville, Clemson Advance

In the opening game of the 2011 NCAA Tournament, UNC-Asheville won a thriller in OT over Arkansas Little Rock 61-57 in Dayton, Ohio. The Bulldogs got 22 points from Matt Dickey, who also hit the game-tying three-pointer from the corner, and took advantage of UA-LR's best player, Solomon Bozeman fouling out, making him unavailable for the overtime period. Asheville advances to play #1 Pitt Thursday in Washington, D.C.

In the nightcap, Clemson blew out UAB 70-52 to advance to play #5 Georgetown in Tampa on Thursday. Jerai Grant had 22 points for the Tigers, which blew apart the game early on with a 21-2 run in the 1st half.

Tonight, #16 UTSA plays Alabama State in the East Region at 5:30 PM CT while #11 VCU plays #11 USC in the Southwest Region at 8 PM CT on truTV and March Madness on Demand.

First Four Tonight

Tonight, the tournament begins with two of the "First Four" games in Dayton, Ohio.

In the first game at 5:30 PM CT on truTV (or March Madness on Demand), #16 seed UNC Asheville, champions of the Big South conference, will play #16 Sunbelt champion Arkansas Little Rock for the right to advance in the Southeast region to play #1 Pitt on Thursday.

In the second game, two teams that, in my opinion, don't deserve to be in the tournament will do battle with UAB and Clemson battling as #12 seeds for the right to play #5 West Virginia in the East region. Tip-off of the game will be about 8 PM CT.

In addition to the tournament kicking off, MLS First Kick (Season Opener) is tonight as well with a great match-up between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Seattle Sounders at 8:30 PM CT on ESPN.

Bracket Released

The NCAA tournament matchups are set (click under "favorites" to the right for printable version), and for the first time in many years, I am completely baffled at what the selection committee has done. The #1 seeds are Ohio State, Kansas, Pittsburgh, and Duke. No problem with those. However...

...here goes my rants:
1. Texas getting a #4 seed, which is way too low, considering the Longhorns' out-of-conference strength of schedule and their run in the AP Top 10 for the majority of the season.
2. Missouri, a tournament lock by many, was revealed to be a "Last 6-In" Bubble team, and #11 seed is completely ridiculous.

3. WHERE IS COLORADO?!?!?! They have had a great season in Big 12, including upsetting Texas and beating Kansas State (a #5 seed) not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES?!?! They are also playing some of their best basketball right now, as they took Kansas down to the wire on Friday in the Big 12 semis. This is the biggest snub of the tournament and I feel for Corey Higgins and Alec Burks because the committee messed this one up.
4. Florida a #2 Seed???? First off, the SEC is overrated, and I don't even know why. So, the Gators can handle Vanderbilt over and over. They just got taken apart by Kentucky today, and haven't been in the AP Top 10 the whole season.
5. UAB getting an at-large despite losing in the Conference USA championship is ridiculous. C-USA is a joke of a conference and their domination of it did not warrant them an at-large.
6. VCU getting an at-large is unreal, as their out-of-conference was not that strong. The fact that the Colonial Athletic Conference got three teams is puzzling.
7. Michigan State gets in despite having a pathetically awful season, only because of their notoriety.
8. Alabama beats Georgia not once, but TWICE, and the Bulldogs are dancing while the Tide are watching. Ridiculous.

Disagreements with the committee aside, let's hope its a great tournament with the Final Four concluding in my hometown in Houston, Texas.

Selection Sunday

Today is the big day. 27 teams have already punched their ticket to the Big Dance by winning their conference tournament (listed below). Only four conference championships remain (SEC, ACC, Atlantic-10, Big 10) today with guarantee berths on the line. For Dayton and Penn State, it is do-or-die time with their backs against the wall.

Automatic Bids Secured

America East		Boston University (21-13)
Atlantic Sun		Belmont (30-4)
Big 12		Kansas (32-2)
Big East		UConn (26-9)
Big Sky		No. Colorado (21-10)
Big South		UNC-Asheville (19-13)
Big West		UC Santa Barbara (17-13)
Colonial		Old Dominion (27-6)
Conference USA		Memphis (25-9)
Horizon		Butler (23-9)
Ivy League		Princeton (25-6)
MAAC		St. Peter's (20-13)
MAC		Akron (23-12)
MEAC		Hampton (24-8)
Missouri Valley		Indiana State (20-13)
Mountain West		San Diego State (32-2)
Northeast		Long Island (27-5)
Ohio Valley		Morehead State (24-9)
Pac-10		Washington (23-10)
Patriot		Bucknell (25-8)
Southern		Wofford (21-12)
Southland		Texas-San Antonio (18-13)
Summit		Oakland(25-9)
Sun Belt		Ark.-Little Rock (19-16)
SWAC		Alabama State (17-17)
WAC		Utah State (30-3)
West Coast		Gonzaga (24-9)

For all the matchups and to find out which teams get the 37 at-large bids and which do not, be sure to watch the NCAA Tournament Selection Show tonight at 6 PM ET (5 CT) on CBS, and then come back here for a printable bracket/analysis.

Princeton, Washington at the Buzzer

In an Ivy League playoff, Princeton sends Harvard (which hasn't made the tourney since 1946) home heartbroken, as Douglas Davis hits a NCAA tournament clinching shot, to lead the Tigers over the Crimson (below).

Next, Washington's Isiah Thomas wins the Pac-10 tournament with a game-winner to beat Arizona in overtime.


Oh, I love March.

Conference Tourney Updates

The NCAA field is beginning to look clearer and clearer as we near the end of the conference tournaments, ahead of Selection Sunday. Here's a look around the major headlines from Friday.
Big 12 Tournament
In the semifinals, top-seeded Kansas advanced to the championship game for the second straight year, beating Colorado 90-83 behind total domination by the Morris brothers inside. The Buffaloes should be a lock to make it to the Big Dance, though, because of their earlier tournament wins against Iowa State and Kansas State.
In the second semifinal, Texas beat Texas A&M for the third time this season, using a strong defensive effort in a 70-58 win. It all sets up the rematch of Texas vs. Kansas (1st meeting, UT stopped lengthy KU win-streak at Allen Fieldhouse) in the final this afternoon. (5 PM CT ESPN)
Big East Tournament
What a few days it has been for Kemba Walker and the UConn Huskies. After beating Pitt at the buzzer Thursday, the Huskies beat Syracuse 76-71. It was their fourth win in four days. They will meet Louisville in the final tonight (9 PM CT ESPN) after the Cardinals upset Notre Dame in OT last night as well.
Big 10 Tournament
Michigan State scores a gigantic win to help its tournament hopes by thrashing Purdue 74-56 in the Big 10 quarterfinals. Meanwhile, #1 Ohio State survives a scare from Northwestern, escaping 67-61 in OT behind 20 points and 18 rebounds from Jared Sullinger.
ACC Tournament
North Carolina overcomes a 19-point second half deficit and gets a Tyler Zeller layup at the buzzer to stun Miami 61-59 in the ACC quarterfinals. In other action, Virginia Tech gets another win to help its fragile tournament case, by edging Florida State 52-51.

AP Top 25 Poll: Week 18

Don't cry, LeBron, but in the final regular season AP poll, Ohio State held on to the #1 spot, while Notre Dame and North Carolina moved up to their highest rankings all season.

1	Ohio State (52)
2	Kansas (13)
3	Pittsburgh
4	Notre Dame
5	Duke
6	North Carolina
7	San Diego State
8	BYU
9	Purdue
10	Texas
11	Syracuse
12	Florida
13	Wisconsin
14	Louisville
15	Kentucky
16	Arizona
17	St. John's
18	Xavier
19	Kansas State
20	West Virginia
21	Connecticut
22	Georgetown
23	Utah State
24	Temple
25	Cincinnati

3/5 College Hoop Headlines

March is here, and with Selection Sunday just a week away, many bubble teams put themselves in more favorable positions with huge wins yesterday (aka Michigan), while others may have seen their chances slip away (sorry, Baylor). Here's a rundown of the big games that transpired.


#2 Kansas 70, #22 Missouri 66
Kansas wrapped up their seventh consecutive Big 12 regular season title, by beating the Tigers in Columbia, behind 21 points and 10 rebounds from Marcus Morris. Missouri, which will be the #6 seed in the Big 12 tournament and play 11th-seeded Texas Tech on Wednesday, shot just 29% from the field.
#13 North Carolina 81, #4 Duke 67
The Tar Heels jumped on their rivals early, scoring 51 first half points to win the ACC regular season title and avenge their earlier season encounter with Duke. Kendall Marshall had 15 points and 11 assists and freshman Harrison Barnes added 18 points for UNC, whose fans stormed the court at the end of the game.
#4 Pittsburgh 60, #19 Villanova 50
The Panthers win the Big East regular season title for the first time in seven years, and send struggling Villanova to its fourth straight defeat to end the regular season. With Corey Stokes out and Corey Fisher limited, the Wildcats got a career-high 27 points from Maalik Wayns, but it was not enough to prevent a season-sweep by Pitt, which was led Ashton Gibbs, who had 18 points.
Iowa 67, #6 Purdue 65
In the biggest shocker of the day, the Boilermakers blow a chance to share the Big-10 title and maybe a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament by falling to the Hawkeyes in Iowa City. The loss gives the Big-10 championship to Ohio State, which hosts Wisconsin later this afternoon.
#8 Notre Dame 70, #16 Connecticut 67
The Irish keep themselves in the conversation for a #1 seed in the NCAA's with a huge win in Stoors. Ben Hansbrough had 21 points, but fouled out with 8 minutes left, opening the door a Huskie rally. However, despite Kemba Walker's 34 points, he turns the ball over in the final seconds, to force UConn to have to play in the first day of the Big East tournament on Tuesday as the #9 seed.
#7 Texas 60, Baylor 54
The Bears are in big trouble as they head to the Big 12 tournament this week. Needing a marquee win to separate themselves from other bubble contenders, Baylor plays hard but gets destroyed on the backboards, getting outrebounded 44-29 and falling in Waco on a night senior guard LaceDarius Dunn became the Big 12's all-time leading scorer by passing Andre Emmett. As the #7 seed in the Big 12, Baylor will play Oklahoma Wednesday, and will probably need a deep-run in Kansas City (probably to at least the championship game) to make the NCAA's.
West Virginia 72, #11 Louisville 70
The Mountaineers clinch a first-round bye in the Big East tournament by beating the Cardinals in a wild-finish in Morgantown. Down three with less than 10 seconds left, senior Casey Mitchell hits a game-tying three. As Louisville hurried to try to win the game in regulation, Preston Knowles misses a three, then commits a foul on the rebound, setting up two game-winning free-throws by Truck Bryant.  
Cincinnati 69, #17 Georgetown 47 
The Hoyas lose their third straight without guard Chris Wright in blowout fashion, falling to the Bearcats by 22, which most likely punches Cincy's ticket to the Big Dance. Austin Freeman had 21 points for G'Town, which will try to right the ship in the Big East tournament, starting Wednesday as the #8 seed.

Stick with The Sports Scene throughout this week, as I cover all the conference tournaments, in advance of Selection Sunday a week from today!