Caruso III Chasing Buffet’s One Billion Dollars Bracket Challenge

By Marc Faisant

Anthony Caruso III, publisher of The Capital Sports Report, has revealed his NCAA picks just in time for the real start of the Big Dance this afternoon. And with that, there’s a chance that he could win a cool $1 billion from Warren Buffet.

Buffett has agreed to put up the cool $1 billion up for an individual that produces a perfect March Madness tournament bracket. Buffet, who has an estimated $53.5 billion, has the odds on his side.

2014 Final Four banner

A few eyebrows were raised when Caruso stuck by the North Carolina Tar Heels and picked them to advance to the Final Four. He has UNC knocking off Iowa State, Villanova and Michigan State before losing to his eventual champion, Florida, in the Final Four.

The Tar Heels have advanced to the Final Four 18 times in school history. In addition, the Tar Heels last appeared in the Final Four in 2009 when they would eventually win their 5th and last national championship.

Florida, who has been ranked No. 1 for the first time since the 2006-07 season, which was the last time they won the March Madness tournament, has not played North Carolina since 2000. North Carolina and Florida hasn’t played since the 2000 National Semifinal in which the Gators won 71-59 over the Tar Heels.

He also has Arizona slipping by Louisville in the other Final Four match-up. Louisville, who won the tournament last year, and Arizona has only played two previous times.

Louisville defeated Arizona in the 2009 regional semi-final, 103-94. And the two teams played for the first time in the 1994 regional semi-final, 82-70.

Among the other surprises projected by Caruso was a nice run by Baylor to the Elite 8 and 3 of the #12 seeds advancing. Oklahoma is the only #5 seed advancing in the Caruso bracket.

“If I have a perfect bracket going into the Final Four, I’ll let Mr. Buffet buy me out for a hundred million or so,” Caruso asserted. “Until then, I won’t quit my day job.”

Big East Conference has four teams in the March Madness tournament

By Marc Faisant | Contributing Writer

The Big East Conference might not have the big names that it once had, however, the revamped conference was able to send four teams to this year’s Big Dance, including two of the conference’s three newcomers, with Villanova and Creighton receiving top 3 seeds in their regions.

Villanova

Not surprisingly, the Big East regular season champion Villanova Wildcats received a No. 2 seed in the East region, and they will face UW-Milwaukee in Buffalo, NY.  If Villanova survives their opening game, they will be facing a familiar foe the following round.  They will draw either former Big East rival Connecticut or add another chapter to the Holy War rivalry against fellow Big 5 member school St. Joe’s.  Villanova would remain in New York to play, should they advance to the Sweet 16.

Creighton

Advancing to the Sweet 16 is something that the Creighton Blue Jays have never done and they have to feel good about their chances this time around.  “Sure, one of our goals is to definitely advance beyond where we were last year and that means getting to the Sweet 16,” commented Creighton All American forward Doug McDermott shortly after the tough loss to Providence in the Big East Tournament Championship game.  Creighton received the No. 3 seed in the West region, and will face Louisiana Lafayette in San Antonio.

The Blue Jays were in question to receive such a high seed after losing the Big East Tournament – especially with National Championship favorites Michigan State and Louisville receiving #4 seeds.  If Creighton advances past Louisiana Lafayette, they will face the winner of Baylor and in-state rival Nebraska.

Providence

The Providence Friars, led by senior guard Bryce Cotton’s 23 points, a stingy defense, and timely free throw shooting down the stretch, jumped off the proverbial bubble and into the NCAA field.  Providence held off a late Creighton rally at Madison Square Garden Saturday night to upset the Blue Jays and claim the Big East Tournament Championship for the second time in school history.

Winning the Big East tournament meant the Friars earned the automatic berth into the Big Dance and avoided a possible play-in game this Tuesday night. The Friars played four of their starters for the entire game, and played only six players as they dispatched the favored Blue Jays.

“It means a lot,” said Providence head coach Ed Cooley as he celebrated the school’s first Big East Tournament Championship since the 1993-94 season. “We have faced a lot of adversity this year … I’ve got to pinch myself as I sit here right now because I can’t believe (it), this is the first time as a head coach I’m going to the NCAA Tournament. It is been eight long years … I feel gratitude to the school that gave me the opportunity to come home and coach their organization. I’m kind of speechless, but I’m very, very appreciative.”

Providence captured the #11 seed in the East and has earned a first round match-up with perennial powerhouse North Carolina.  If the Friars can match their defensive effort from the Big East Final, they have a chance to pull the upset. North Carolina has shown inconsistency all year, and depending on which team shows up, the Tar Heels are no lock to advance.

Xavier

While Providence was able to avoid a play in game, Xavier was not. The Musketeers earned an opportunity to play for the #12 seed in the Midwest and must play Tuesday night against an improved North Carolina State team to advance to the field of 64.  St. Louis, a #5 seed that has stumbled into March, will await the winner Xavier vs. NC State.

(Editor’s Note:  Keep in mind that technically, the four play-in games on Tuesday officially constitute the first round of the NCAA Tournament, with the 32 games this Thursday and Friday being the second round.)

McDermott Leads Blue Jays into March Madness

By Marc Faisant

After a stellar senior season, the presumptive National Player of the Year, Creighton University forward Doug McDermott finds himself in elite company. After recently passing Oscar Robertson and Hersey Hawkins on the all-time NCAA scoring list, McDermott is one of 8 players in in NCAA history to score 3,000 career points and needs another 55 points to crack the top five.

A lock to be included in the Big Dance, as the Creighton Blue Jays head into their first Big East tournament, they are guaranteed a minimum of two more games. Of course it is always dangerous to project victories this time of year, but, for the sake of argument, let’s say that the Blue Jays beat DePaul and the winner of Xavier vs. Marquette and advance to the Big East Final. (As the #2 seed, they are projected to do just that.)

Doug McDermott (Getty Images)

With the first round NCAA tournament game, that is at least four games for McDermott to ascend up that list.

Pete Maravich was a freak of nature and his scoring record is untouchable. In 83 games (with no three point line), he scored 3,667 points for LSU from 1967-1970. Numbers 2 and 3 on the all-time list, Freeman Williams and LaSalle legend, Lionel Simmons, are not within reach unless Creighton makes some noise this March.

Currently, McDermott is 206 points behind Simmons and 238 behind Portland State’s Williams. Coming off a 45 point night against Providence on Senior Night, it is not out of the question for McDermott to climb up to #2 on the all-time list.

For now, McDermott and his Creighton Blue Jays need to focus on DePaul tonight at 7 pm.

NCAA Division I Top 10 scorers (all-time)
1) Pete Maravich, LSU: 83 games, 3,667 points
2) Freeman Williams, Portland State: 106 games, 3,249 points
3) Lionel Simmons, La Salle (Pa.): 131 games, 3,217 points
4) Alphonso Ford, Miss. Valley State: 109 games, 3,165 points
5) Harry Kelly, Texas Southern: 110 games, 3,066 points
6) Keydren Clark, St. Peter’s (N.J.): 118 games, 3,058 points
7) Doug McDermott, Creighton: 140 games, 3,011 points
8) Hersey Hawkins, Bradley: 125 games, 3,008 points
9) Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati: 88 games, 2,973 points
10) Danny Manning, Kansas: 147 games, 2,951 points