What We Learned From First Two Rounds

Before we break down the action from the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, a word to the wise: Next year, consider investing in the Mega March Madness package.Despite CBS’ efforts to provide live look-ins late in games and when other contests were at halftime, sticking to whatever coverage your region has to offer would have caused you to miss some great performances. Stephen Curry was a first-round revelation for Davidson, giving Maryland everything the Terps could handle in what may have been the performance of the tournament so far. You probably saw the end of the Duke-VCU thriller. But watching the Rams’ pressure defense rattle the Blue Devils, then watching VCU’s dynamic three-guard combo carve up Greg Paulus and company was a treat that warranted extended viewing.Next year, invite a few buddies over, toss a few bucks each into the kitty, then sit back and experience the madness that is watching four games at once. Just make sure the sharpest member of your posse has possession of the remote.With that out of the way, let’s look back on the action from Thursday through yesterday, with a look ahead to the Sweet 16 and beyond. Here are some of the lessons we’ve learned so far:UNLV deserved a higher seed. ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi projected the Rebels as a no. 4 seed a few days before Selection Sunday. Instead, UNLV got a no. 7. Rather than pout, the Rebels took out their frustration on two hapless opponents, taking down a talented but inexperienced Georgia Tech squad, then knocking off no. 2 seed Wisconsin — the highest seed to lose in the first two rounds. Wendell White and Wink Adams are the headline guys. But the coach’s son, Kevin Kruger, rained down three 3-pointers late against Wisconsin, and swingman Curtis Terry scored over overmatched Jason Bohannon to ice it. The Badgers weren’t the same team late in the year without Brian Butch, and this game was no upset. Oregon’s a loaded offensive team, but UNLV will be a worthy adversary, and an even-money bet to meet Florida for the right to go to Final Four.Georgetown is as good as advertised. North Carolina, Kansas, Florida, and Ohio State all have more raw talent. But the Hoyas are as versatile and unflappable as any team left in the field. When star center Roy Hibbert gets into foul trouble, Jeff Green can take over inside. On the rare occasion that teams shut down both big men, Jessie Sapp (career-high 20 points in the first round against Belmont) and Jonathan Wallace (15 points on blistering 5–for–7 shooting against Boston College) can take over in their own right. Efficient offense, tough defense, experience and a coach who knows what he’s doing (sorry Rick Barnes) add up to a lethal combination, one that could carry Georgetown to Atlanta.Florida’s lucky. The Gators came out looking disinterested against both Jackson State and Purdue, before flipping the switch late and getting out with wins. Neither of Florida’s first two opponents had the personnel to match up with the Gators, and third-round foe Butler doesn’t either. UNLV or Oregon could pose a challenge, though either team would also be a significant underdog. Florida might not get its first big test until the Final Four. If the Gators face a team like Kansas in that spot and try to coast through, their quest to repeat will end in a heap.Ohio State’s good. Oh sure, the Buckeyes benefited from plenty of luck in their own right, rallying from a late nine-point deficit to beat Xavier after a late Musketeers free throw spun out and Ron Lewis’s launch from the parking lot swished through with two seconds left in regulation, sending the second-round game into overtime. But give Lewis credit for knocking down an array of big shots, despite being Ohio State’s third or fourth scoring option. Then give point guard Mike Conley Jr. even more credit for dishing to Lewis so the sharpshooter could fire in stride, and then for taking over himself in overtime, with ubercenter Greg Oden on the bench after fouling out. You never know who could get hot or cold in a given game. The Buckeyes’ multiple options, and their ability to come through under duress, bode well for the rest of the tourney. They should handle a game, but outmanned, Tennessee crew. A possible Elite Eight matchup with a rugged Texas A&M bunch or a run-and-gun fest with an insanely athletic Memphis team could be the game of the tourney … if the backyard tilt with Xavier wasn’t already.We got a surprise ending. The final game of the weekend saw USC crush Texas. With the focus squarely on superstar freshman Kevin Durant and the nation anticipating a Texas-North Carolina Sweet 16 tilt from the get-go, the Trojans’ win came as a surprise to many, and a veritable stunner given how it went down. Though not well known east of the Mississippi, Nick Young, Lodrick Stewart, and Gabe Pruitt form one of the best perimeter combinations in the country, with Young good enough to be a projected NBA first-round pick. If the Trojans hope to compete with the stacked Tar Heels next round, though, they’ll need big efforts from their underrated freshmen, big man Taj Gibson and point guard Daniel Hackett. The pair came up huge against the Longhorns, with Hackett going for a career-high 20 points and hounding Durant, and Gibson tossing up 17 points and 14 boards as he controlled the interior. Give USC lots of credit for shutting down Texas floor leader D.J. Augustin and executing on offense. Give a pink slip to Texas coach Rick Barnes for failing to run plays for Durant all year, culminating in the Trojans eating their lunch.Mr. Keri (jonahkeri@gmail.com) is a writer for ESPN.com’s Page 2 and a contributor to YESNetwork.com.

What We Learned From First Two Rounds

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