What an NCAA Tourney

The Houston regional doesn't even start till later today, but what an NCAA Tourney in 2010! Has there been a better one for excitement, upsets and thrills? OK, the form chart was followed in the East Regional on Thursday with Kentucky beating Cornell and West Virginia downing Washington assuring a battle of the region's 1st and 2nd seeds in the final on Saturday. Things in the West did not follow the form chart either in game result or game form.

How about Kansas State making it to the Elite Eight with their double overtime win over Xavier on Thursday? The Wildcats, despite being the #2 seed in the West, have surprised a number of fans if only because THEY are still alive and #1 pre-tourney seed and big rival, Kansas, is not.

The other game in the West Regional had special interest to me. My alma mater, Butler University, knocked off top West seed Syracuse. That was an upset, but not a major one based on national rankings (Butler was #11 heading into the tourney and the #5 seed in the West), but it was still a surprise--especially to Syracuse fans.

The Kansas State-Xavier game was simply wonderful for all fans-perhaps even more so for neutral ones who had no favorite. The whole NCAA tournament has had many of those. I suspect they are not done yet. Butler could make some sort of history if they could beat Kansas State, thus disposing of both the #1 and #2 region seeds in the same weekend. That is a very tall order.

Here is Houston Baylor is in a different situation. Despite never being this deep in the tourney before, they are the hunted in their game tonight with St. Marys. Although carrying a 28-5 record the Gaels are the underdog vs the Bears. Baylor will have its hands full. Having beaten Sam Houston State in a tight game and Old Dominion without showing dominance St. Marys won't be easy. Then, if successful a likely meeting with Duke before a trip to Indianapolis for the Final Four can be booked.

That is assuming Purdue won't perform another miracle with their one star short team beating Duke first.

Logic says it can't happen. But when has the 2010 NCAA Tourney followed logic?