Central Mass High School Football returns tonight here's a quick look at the key games.
Friday
St. Johns 49 LHS 28
Bartlett 17 DP 10
Gardner 27 Groton-Dunstable 24
Marlboro 20 Milford 15
Leicester 28 Milbury 17
Grafton 27 Nipmuc 10
Doherty 34 NM 12
Wachusett 27 SPM 24
Northbridge 35 Oakmont 20
Clinton 21 SB 20
Shepard Hill 28 FHS 27
South 14 Maynard 13
Saturday
Holy Name 24 Quabbin 14
Friday, September 13, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Bracket Thoughts
Midwest Region:
Teams that can win it: Louisville, Duke, Michigan State
Sleeper: St. Louis
Best 1st Round game: St. Mary's vs Memphis
Best 2nd Round game St. Louis vs Oklahoma State
Most likely upsets: St. Marys over Memphis, Oregon over OSU
My Pick: Louisville over Duke
West Region:
Teams that can wit it: Gonzaga, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Kansas State New Mexico
Sleeper:Wisconsin
Best 1st round game: Belmont vs Arizona
Best 2nd round game: Pitt vs Gonzaga
Most likely upsets: Belmont over Arizona, Iowa State over ND, Pitt over Gonzaga
My Pick: New Mexico over Wisconsin
South Region:
Teams that can win it: Kansas, Georgetown, Florida Michigan
Sleeper:UNC
Best 1st round game: Oklahoma vs San Diego State
Best 2nd Round game: Michigan vs VCU, UNC vs Kansas
Most Likely Upsets: Minnesota over UCLA, Oklahoma over SDSU,
My pick: Kansas over Florida
East Region:
Teams that can win it: Indiana, Miami
Sleeper:Bucknell
Best 1st round game: Butler vs Bucknell, Davidson vs Marquette, NC State vs Temple
Best 2nd round game: Syracuse over UNLV
Most likely upsets: Bucknell over Butler Davidson over Marquette Cal over UNLV
My Pick: Indiana over Miami
Final Four:
Louisville over New Mexico, Kansas over Indiania
Louisville over Kansas
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
SEC Tournament Preview
Bracket: Wednesday's Games:
1.Florida 11)Texas A&M over Auburn
2.Kentucky 12)South Carolina over Miss State
3.Ole Miss Thursday Games:
4.Alabama 8)Georgia over 9)Georgia
5.Tennessee 7)Arkansas over 10)Vany
6.Missouri 6)Missouri over 11)Texas A&M
7.Arkansas 5 Tennessee over 12)South Carolina
8.Georgia
9.LSU
10.Vanderbilt
Quarters: Florida over Georgia Arkansas over Kentucky Missouri over Ole Miss Tenn over Bama
This might be the biggest bubble round of any tournament this week. This league is so crazy only Florida and Missouri are safe tournament teams. I see Kentucky getting knocked off the bubble Arkansas blew them out in the regular season and I see it happening again. Missouri does just enough to end Ole Miss's tourney hopes and Tennessee will continue their late season surge beating Alabama in a winner gets in game.
Semis: Tennessee over Florida Missouri over Arkansas
Phil Preesley leads a Missouri blow out while cold shooting Florida limps into the Tournament.
Finals: Missouri over Tennessee
Mizzou heads into the tourney on a roll looking to avenge last year's humbling loss to Norfolk State.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Big 12 Tournament
Lot of bubble teams in this tournament should be a fun watch!
Bracket: Wednesday's Games:
1)Kansas 8)West Virginia over 9)Texas Tech
2)Kansas State 7)Texas over 10)TCU
3.Oklahoma State
4.Oklahoma
5.Iowa State
6.Baylor
Quarters: KU over WVU KSU over Texas Baylor over OSU ISU over OU
You know after going a lackluster 19-13 yet finding itself on the bubble by beating Kansas that Baylor will pull another upset and somehow get in with 13 losses. Oklahoma lost at TCU to end the season Kansas has proven that kind of loss lingers.
Semis: ISU over Kansas KSU over Baylor
Iowa State get revenge for the home loss that was decided when the refs blew an obvious charge call late.
Baylor hasn't strung together three good games all season and won't start now.
Finals: KSU over ISU
First year Coach Bruce Webber goes from being run out of Illinois to the Big 12 Champonship
Bracket: Wednesday's Games:
1)Kansas 8)West Virginia over 9)Texas Tech
2)Kansas State 7)Texas over 10)TCU
3.Oklahoma State
4.Oklahoma
5.Iowa State
6.Baylor
Quarters: KU over WVU KSU over Texas Baylor over OSU ISU over OU
You know after going a lackluster 19-13 yet finding itself on the bubble by beating Kansas that Baylor will pull another upset and somehow get in with 13 losses. Oklahoma lost at TCU to end the season Kansas has proven that kind of loss lingers.
Semis: ISU over Kansas KSU over Baylor
Iowa State get revenge for the home loss that was decided when the refs blew an obvious charge call late.
Baylor hasn't strung together three good games all season and won't start now.
Finals: KSU over ISU
First year Coach Bruce Webber goes from being run out of Illinois to the Big 12 Champonship
Pac 12 Tourney
Bracket: Wednesday's Games
1)UCLA 8)Stanford over 9)Arizona State
2)Cal 7)USC over 10)Utah
3)Oregon 6)Washington over 11)Washington State
4)Arizona 5)Colorado over 12)Oregon State
Quarters:UCLA over Stanford Cal over USC Washington over Oregon Colorado over Arizona
UCLA has really found it's stride and is finally living up to it's preseason ranking. Oregon is a mess right now and is ripe for an upset. Colorado dominated Arizona in earlier head to head matchups missing out on a sweep only because of a bad call on a disallowed buzzer beater.
Semis UCLA over Colorado Cal over Washington
Washington isn't good enough to steal a bid.
Finals:UCLA over Cal
Crabbe has a big game but the Bruins will pull out a high scoring game late.
1)UCLA 8)Stanford over 9)Arizona State
2)Cal 7)USC over 10)Utah
3)Oregon 6)Washington over 11)Washington State
4)Arizona 5)Colorado over 12)Oregon State
Quarters:UCLA over Stanford Cal over USC Washington over Oregon Colorado over Arizona
UCLA has really found it's stride and is finally living up to it's preseason ranking. Oregon is a mess right now and is ripe for an upset. Colorado dominated Arizona in earlier head to head matchups missing out on a sweep only because of a bad call on a disallowed buzzer beater.
Semis UCLA over Colorado Cal over Washington
Washington isn't good enough to steal a bid.
Finals:UCLA over Cal
Crabbe has a big game but the Bruins will pull out a high scoring game late.
ACC Tourney Preview
It's been a down year in the ACC and all signs point to Round 3 of Duke-Miami. NC State could spice things up of they ever get it together but I'm not holding my breathe.
Bracket: Thursday's Games:
1)Miami 8)BC vs 9)GT
2)Duke 7)Maryland vs 10)WF
3)UNC 6)FSU vs 11) Clemson
4)Virginia 5)NCState vs 12)VT
5) NC State
6)Florida State
7)Maryland
8)BC
9.Georgia Tech
10)Wake Forest
11)Clemson
12.Virginia Tech
This is the weakest slate of Thursday games of any conference. Watch something else!
Quarters: Miami over GT Duke over UMD FSU over UNC NC State over Virginia
There's always an upset in this round and North Carolina has been overrated all season. NC State should beat Virginia to prevent them from getting in because their 7 100+ RPI losses don't belong in the field.
Semifinals Miami over NC State Duke over Florida State
Two blowouts in this round to setup the Top 5 battle!
Finals Duke over Miami
Ryan Kelly stretches the floor and makes the difference again. Duke seems destined for the #1 overall seed and a long tournament run after last year's disappointment.
Bracket: Thursday's Games:
1)Miami 8)BC vs 9)GT
2)Duke 7)Maryland vs 10)WF
3)UNC 6)FSU vs 11) Clemson
4)Virginia 5)NCState vs 12)VT
5) NC State
6)Florida State
7)Maryland
8)BC
9.Georgia Tech
10)Wake Forest
11)Clemson
12.Virginia Tech
This is the weakest slate of Thursday games of any conference. Watch something else!
Quarters: Miami over GT Duke over UMD FSU over UNC NC State over Virginia
There's always an upset in this round and North Carolina has been overrated all season. NC State should beat Virginia to prevent them from getting in because their 7 100+ RPI losses don't belong in the field.
Semifinals Miami over NC State Duke over Florida State
Two blowouts in this round to setup the Top 5 battle!
Finals Duke over Miami
Ryan Kelly stretches the floor and makes the difference again. Duke seems destined for the #1 overall seed and a long tournament run after last year's disappointment.
A10 Tourney Preview
It's now team to preview the Atlantic 10 Tournament, the conference tournament nearest to my heart. Sad I can't make it to Brooklyn this week, but I think the new location both elevate the conference and could benefited my beloved UMASS Minutemen. My thoughts on Derek Kellog are well known, but all I'll say is for where this team is seeded they have a nice draw to be able to make a deep run.
Bracket: Thursday's Games:
1)St. Louis 8)Richmond vs 9)Charlotte
2)VCU 7)Xavier vs 10)St. Joesphs
3)Temple 6)UMASS vs 11)GW
4)LaSalle 5)Butler vs 12)Dayton
Let's get real the only Thursday game that matters is UMASS/GW. UMASS actually dropped this game at home on the day they retired Marcus Camby's jersey. I truly believe that star point guard Chazz Williams playing in his hometown of Brooklyn will not let us loss this game despite how inept Coach Kellog is.
Having been to this tournament before I can also tell you Xavier and St. Joesph travel the best so that will be a great first round game but Xavier is mentally tougher and will pull it out.
Quaterfinals: St. Louis over Richmond Xavier over VCU UMASS over Temple Butler over LaS
While this no doubt how I hope this round plays out they are not exactly homer picks. St. Louis is a defensive machine and will roll to a win. Butler is best equipped to prepare for teams on short rest and will edge by LaSalle. Now to the fun part of the bracket Xavier will beat VCU who hasn't won a game when it's failed to force 15 turnovers. They can hit you with a 15-0 run at anytime but Xavier was up on them by 18 to weeks ago before a concussion suffered by starting point guard Dee Daniels changed the game. Daniels is now healthy and Xavier will handle the press enough to pull the upset. The 82-81 home loss to Temple was the UMASS game I attended live this season. We match up with Temple better than anyone in the conference and beat them in this round last year. If Kellog actually bothers to guard Khaliff Wyatt UMASS will pull the upset.
Semifinals: St. Louis over Butler UMASS over Xavier
St. Louis forced 26 turnovers in an early season win over Butler and matches up great with Butler's guards. Give me St. Louis by a wide margin. We beat Xavier last week thanks to a Freddie Riley shooting barrage and should be able to repeat the feat.
Finals: St. Louis over UMASS
I'll pick this with my head, St. Louis is worst possible match up and we need them to get upset to have a shot at the auto bid. The regular season match up was marred by the ACL injury to Jesse Morgan but it didn't hide the fact that SLU can kill us on the offensive glass and contain our guards. I hope we can make it a game late and I can excited about the possibility of making the tournament.
Bracket: Thursday's Games:
1)St. Louis 8)Richmond vs 9)Charlotte
2)VCU 7)Xavier vs 10)St. Joesphs
3)Temple 6)UMASS vs 11)GW
4)LaSalle 5)Butler vs 12)Dayton
Let's get real the only Thursday game that matters is UMASS/GW. UMASS actually dropped this game at home on the day they retired Marcus Camby's jersey. I truly believe that star point guard Chazz Williams playing in his hometown of Brooklyn will not let us loss this game despite how inept Coach Kellog is.
Having been to this tournament before I can also tell you Xavier and St. Joesph travel the best so that will be a great first round game but Xavier is mentally tougher and will pull it out.
Quaterfinals: St. Louis over Richmond Xavier over VCU UMASS over Temple Butler over LaS
While this no doubt how I hope this round plays out they are not exactly homer picks. St. Louis is a defensive machine and will roll to a win. Butler is best equipped to prepare for teams on short rest and will edge by LaSalle. Now to the fun part of the bracket Xavier will beat VCU who hasn't won a game when it's failed to force 15 turnovers. They can hit you with a 15-0 run at anytime but Xavier was up on them by 18 to weeks ago before a concussion suffered by starting point guard Dee Daniels changed the game. Daniels is now healthy and Xavier will handle the press enough to pull the upset. The 82-81 home loss to Temple was the UMASS game I attended live this season. We match up with Temple better than anyone in the conference and beat them in this round last year. If Kellog actually bothers to guard Khaliff Wyatt UMASS will pull the upset.
Semifinals: St. Louis over Butler UMASS over Xavier
St. Louis forced 26 turnovers in an early season win over Butler and matches up great with Butler's guards. Give me St. Louis by a wide margin. We beat Xavier last week thanks to a Freddie Riley shooting barrage and should be able to repeat the feat.
Finals: St. Louis over UMASS
I'll pick this with my head, St. Louis is worst possible match up and we need them to get upset to have a shot at the auto bid. The regular season match up was marred by the ACL injury to Jesse Morgan but it didn't hide the fact that SLU can kill us on the offensive glass and contain our guards. I hope we can make it a game late and I can excited about the possibility of making the tournament.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Big 10 Tourney Preview
The Big Ten has been the best conference in the nation this season and would have finished in a crazy four way tie if not for Indiana's heroics at Michigan Sunday Night. Now IU seems to have secured a #1 seed in next's week NCAA Tournament while Michigan and Michigan State can move up to the #2 seed line. Minnesota and Iowa are in desperate need of wins to nail down a place in the Bracket.
Bracket: Thursday's Games:
1)Indiana 8)Illionis vs 9 Minnesota
2)Ohio State 7)Purdue vs 10)Nebraska
3.Michigan State 6)Iowa vs 11) Northwestern
4)Wisconsin 5)Michigan vs 12)Penn State
First Round Notes:
Michigan dropped all the way to the 5 seed following Sunday's loss and after being surprised by league doormat PSU promises to crush them so bad Pat Ackerman might play. Illionis vs Minnesota is the battle of the underachievers with great computer numbers. Look for the Gophers to play it out in the game of the day.
Quarterfinals: Indiana over Minnesota Ohio State over Purdue MSU over Iowa Michigan over Wisconsin
These will all me close games but the cream should rise to the top and the top four seeds should advance. Coach Izzo needs to be on upset alert because if Iowa can beat his Spartan they'll have worked themselves into bubble consideration.
Semifinals Michigan State over Ohio State Michigan over Indiana
Nix and Payne will dominate inside and the Spartans will prevail over the Buckeyes. With the sour taste of Sunday in there mouth Michigan will get revenge on Indiana.
Finals:Michigan State over Michigan
The extra game does the Wolverines in as playing four games in four nights leads to jumpers falling short while the Spartans will get to the line, control the boards and take the title proving once again that March is Izzo Time!
Bracket: Thursday's Games:
1)Indiana 8)Illionis vs 9 Minnesota
2)Ohio State 7)Purdue vs 10)Nebraska
3.Michigan State 6)Iowa vs 11) Northwestern
4)Wisconsin 5)Michigan vs 12)Penn State
First Round Notes:
Michigan dropped all the way to the 5 seed following Sunday's loss and after being surprised by league doormat PSU promises to crush them so bad Pat Ackerman might play. Illionis vs Minnesota is the battle of the underachievers with great computer numbers. Look for the Gophers to play it out in the game of the day.
Quarterfinals: Indiana over Minnesota Ohio State over Purdue MSU over Iowa Michigan over Wisconsin
These will all me close games but the cream should rise to the top and the top four seeds should advance. Coach Izzo needs to be on upset alert because if Iowa can beat his Spartan they'll have worked themselves into bubble consideration.
Semifinals Michigan State over Ohio State Michigan over Indiana
Nix and Payne will dominate inside and the Spartans will prevail over the Buckeyes. With the sour taste of Sunday in there mouth Michigan will get revenge on Indiana.
Finals:Michigan State over Michigan
The extra game does the Wolverines in as playing four games in four nights leads to jumpers falling short while the Spartans will get to the line, control the boards and take the title proving once again that March is Izzo Time!
Mountain West Tourney Preview
Some of you might not be familiar with the Mountain West Conference since their games only air on CBSCS/NBCS late night but they are poised to get a whopping 5 out of their 9 teams into the dance.
The great thing about a small conference is that it has fewer throw away games at the bottom and every game means something.
Bracket:
1)New Mexico vs 8)Nevada or 9)Wyoming
2)Colorado State vs 7) Fresno State
3)UNLV vs 6) Air Force
4) San Diego State vs 5 Boise State
New Mexico and Colorado State should cruise to the semis with the league's bottom three being pretty soft.
Air Force can really shoot beating New Mexico this weekend and blowing out UNLV at home early in the league play. The home crowd will really help underachieving UNLV prevail in this game. They are really talented including lottery pick Anthony Bennett but are undermining by not having a true point guard. The other notable quarterfinal is a huge bubble game and rematch of a Boise State win on Saturday. The Broncos won their last 3 and seem poised to make the field but San Diego State is desperate for a win and will pul it out to make the NCAA field.
Semis New Mexico over San Diego State UNLV over Colorado State
New Mexico's back court of Kendall Williams and Tony Snell will shoot down the Aztecs and Colorado State is a great rebounding team but can't guard 2 guards and will be tripped up by the home standing Rebels.
Finals:UNLV over New Mexico
The Rebels will win the auto bid at home become a trendy Sweet Sixteen picks and break hearts next Thursday. Their front court is too athletic for New Mexico who will be pushed to a 5 seed become underrated and make a second weekend run.
The great thing about a small conference is that it has fewer throw away games at the bottom and every game means something.
Bracket:
1)New Mexico vs 8)Nevada or 9)Wyoming
2)Colorado State vs 7) Fresno State
3)UNLV vs 6) Air Force
4) San Diego State vs 5 Boise State
New Mexico and Colorado State should cruise to the semis with the league's bottom three being pretty soft.
Air Force can really shoot beating New Mexico this weekend and blowing out UNLV at home early in the league play. The home crowd will really help underachieving UNLV prevail in this game. They are really talented including lottery pick Anthony Bennett but are undermining by not having a true point guard. The other notable quarterfinal is a huge bubble game and rematch of a Boise State win on Saturday. The Broncos won their last 3 and seem poised to make the field but San Diego State is desperate for a win and will pul it out to make the NCAA field.
Semis New Mexico over San Diego State UNLV over Colorado State
New Mexico's back court of Kendall Williams and Tony Snell will shoot down the Aztecs and Colorado State is a great rebounding team but can't guard 2 guards and will be tripped up by the home standing Rebels.
Finals:UNLV over New Mexico
The Rebels will win the auto bid at home become a trendy Sweet Sixteen picks and break hearts next Thursday. Their front court is too athletic for New Mexico who will be pushed to a 5 seed become underrated and make a second weekend run.
Big East Tourney Preview
I love this team of year so for the next two weeks this space will be the place to go for college basketball lovers. This week I will preview the 8 major conference tournaments that lead up to Selection Sunday starting with the Big East.
Bracket:
1.Georgetown Wednesday Games: Tuesdays Games:
2Louisville 8)Cincy vs 9) Providence 11)Seton Hall vs 14)USF
3.Marquette 7)Villanova vs 10) St.Johns 12)Rutgers vs 13 Depaul
4.Pittsburgh 6)Notre Dame vs SH/USF
5.Syracuse 5)Syracuse vs Rutgers/Depaul
6.Notre Dame
The Big East uses this terrible double bye system which leads to upsets and a throw away slate on Tuesday.
Best Wednesday Game: Cincy vs Providence
Defending Tournament champion Cincy always brings it at MSG and their physical style translates well in tournament play, but they limped to the finished line in a horrid shooting slump. Providence under second year coach Ed Cooley overcame injury and suspensions to a great recruiting class to finish strong and were close to the bubble before the OT loss at UCONN. I like the Friars to pull the upset here.
Best Thursday Game: Syracuse vs Pittsburgh
What can I say about Syracuse? It looks like this could be the end for Jim Bohiem, he looks tired and old and his team can't shoot straight. Brandon Triche has fallen off a cliff and early season phenom Micheal Carter-Williams is turning the ball at an alarming rate. Pittsburgh has rebounded nicely from a down season and are always a tough out. The loser of this game seems destined for the dreaded 8/9 game in the NCAA's. After attending this tournament last year I can promise you the massive Syracuse crowd at MSG will carry
them to a much needed win.
Quaterfinal Upset: ND over Marquette Providence over Georgetown
The #1 seed coming off the double bye has lost 4 years in a row so I love the Friars chances to pull the upset and come real close to making the tournament. ND controls the tempo and pulls the mini upset over a Marquette team that has been doing it with smoke and mirrors all season.
Semis: Syracuse over Providence Louisville over Notre Dame
Finals:Louisville over Syracuse
Just like last year Coach Pitino has the Cardinals playing well at the right time. Their size and depth combined with a pretty easy draw will overcome inconsistent guard play to win the league title. They've quietly been humming along since a midseason three game slide and if Peyton Siva and Russ Smith find their shooting touch the Cardinals will make a return trip to the Final Four.
Bracket:
1.Georgetown Wednesday Games: Tuesdays Games:
2Louisville 8)Cincy vs 9) Providence 11)Seton Hall vs 14)USF
3.Marquette 7)Villanova vs 10) St.Johns 12)Rutgers vs 13 Depaul
4.Pittsburgh 6)Notre Dame vs SH/USF
5.Syracuse 5)Syracuse vs Rutgers/Depaul
6.Notre Dame
The Big East uses this terrible double bye system which leads to upsets and a throw away slate on Tuesday.
Best Wednesday Game: Cincy vs Providence
Defending Tournament champion Cincy always brings it at MSG and their physical style translates well in tournament play, but they limped to the finished line in a horrid shooting slump. Providence under second year coach Ed Cooley overcame injury and suspensions to a great recruiting class to finish strong and were close to the bubble before the OT loss at UCONN. I like the Friars to pull the upset here.
Best Thursday Game: Syracuse vs Pittsburgh
What can I say about Syracuse? It looks like this could be the end for Jim Bohiem, he looks tired and old and his team can't shoot straight. Brandon Triche has fallen off a cliff and early season phenom Micheal Carter-Williams is turning the ball at an alarming rate. Pittsburgh has rebounded nicely from a down season and are always a tough out. The loser of this game seems destined for the dreaded 8/9 game in the NCAA's. After attending this tournament last year I can promise you the massive Syracuse crowd at MSG will carry
them to a much needed win.
Quaterfinal Upset: ND over Marquette Providence over Georgetown
The #1 seed coming off the double bye has lost 4 years in a row so I love the Friars chances to pull the upset and come real close to making the tournament. ND controls the tempo and pulls the mini upset over a Marquette team that has been doing it with smoke and mirrors all season.
Semis: Syracuse over Providence Louisville over Notre Dame
Finals:Louisville over Syracuse
Just like last year Coach Pitino has the Cardinals playing well at the right time. Their size and depth combined with a pretty easy draw will overcome inconsistent guard play to win the league title. They've quietly been humming along since a midseason three game slide and if Peyton Siva and Russ Smith find their shooting touch the Cardinals will make a return trip to the Final Four.
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