Another Knockout in Tampa

by Jonah Keri
Sat, 22 Mar 2008 at 1:19 AM

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	AP Photo/Steve Nesius Villanova's Scottie Reynolds looks to pass while being guarded by Clemson's Sam Perry on Friday, March 21, 2008, in Tampa, Fla.

Villanova looked dead in the water against Clemson early on, with the Tigers scoring from all angles and causing problems with their full-court pressure defense. At one point Clemson led 36-18. But success and failure are vicious cycles for teams that press. When you're scoring, you can press, which often leads to more scoring opportunities. When the shots aren't falling, you can't press, and even a big lead can disappear.

The Wildcats adjusted to Clemson's press. Then they started dominating the bigger Tigers inside on offense, and clamping down on defense. Clemson big man bookends James Mays and Trevor Booker both fouled out, Scottie Reynolds pulled off his usual heroics (a game-high 21 points), and 'Nova nabbed a 75-69 win.

We should have seen this coming. Partly because Clemson has let so many opportunities slip through their fingers this season, most notably against ACC rival North Carolina. But the more obvious reason was geographical: Clemson was the no. 5 seed and Villanova the no. 12. And there was no way a higher seed was winning any game all day in Tampa. In fact, the Tampa site became the first to witness a clean sweep of four upsets in one day, with Villanova joining Siena, Western Kentucky and San Diego in the winner's circle. Villanova will now face Siena with a Sweet 16 berth on the line, meaning some combination of two 12 seeds, two 13 seeds or one of each will play on next week.

Meanwhile, Louisville and Memphis both rolled in their games against low seeds. The Cardinals could face an easier match-up in Oklahoma than Memphis gets with no. 8 Mississippi State.

As for Indiana-Arkansas, Eric Gordon laid an egg, ensuring that the Hoosiers would complete their late-season collapse after the Kelvin Sampson scandal — from Final Four contender to out of the tournament. Averaging more than 21 points a game during the season, Gordon froze up against the Hogs, at one point losing his confidence so badly that he didn't shoot for more than nine minutes. The freshman finished an atrocious 3 for 15 from the field with eight points, wasting big efforts by D.J. White (22 points) and Armon Bassett (21 points) and sending Arkansas on to the second round. Talent has never been the Hogs' problem, with Patrick Beverley, Sonny Weems, Darian Townes, and Gary Ervin all capable of taking over a game and Steven Hill among the best shotblockers in college basketball history. But they'll need a consistent, 40-minute effort to hang with North Carolina, something that Arkansas has rarely done this season.

Three key match-ups for tomorrow:

Kansas State vs. Wisconsin: The often undisciplined but supremely talented Wildcats and their freshman stars Michael Beasley and Bill Walker battle the disciplined and experienced but athletically limited Badgers. Impossible to call, though a win by no. 11 K-State is very possible.

Marquette vs. Stanford: An even bigger contrast, as the Eagles send their great guard troika of Dominic James, Jerel McNeal, and Wesley Matthews up against Stanford twin towers of Brook and Robin Lopez. Look for Marquette to push the tempo and fluster Brook Lopez with different looks, enough to get the Eagles into the Sweet 16.

Notre Dame vs. Washington State: Wazzou doesn't have an answer for Irish bruiser Luke Harangody. But Tony Bennett is a master planner who'll exploit mismatches for his own squad. Look for the Cougars to clamp down on the rest of Notre Dame's scorers and get enough from their dynamic backcourt of Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver to salvage some Pac-10 pride after first-round losses for USC and Arizona and a possible second-round exit by Stanford.

See you back in this space tomorrow, starting with West Virginia-Duke at 2 p.m. ET.

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