Where Cinderellas Perish: March Madness First Weekend Superlatives

William Qualkinbush by Senior Analyst Written on March 23, 2009
DAYTON, OH - MARCH 22: Alex Franklin #42 of the Siena Saints and Samardo Samuels #24 of the Louisville Cardinals go up for the opening tip-off during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the University of Dayton Arena on March 22, 2009 in Dayton, Ohio.  (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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The fact that they were able to survive makes them legitimate Final Four contenders in the Glendale regional.

Honorable Mention: Pittsburgh (beat under-seeded East Tennessee State by 10, beat Oklahoma State by 8).

 

BIGGEST SHOT:

Gonzaga freshman Demetri Goodson's runner with 0.9 seconds left to beat Western Kentucky 83-81.

Can anyone say Tyus Edney? Just like the former UCLA point guard in the mid-1990s, Goodson raced up the floor from an inbounds pass and banked in the game-winning shot for the Bulldogs.

That runner ended what may have been the best game so far in the Big Dance.

If Gonzaga knocks off North Carolina, they will have this young man to thank for the opportunity to even be there.

Honorable Mention: Siena guard Ronald Moore's two clutch three-pointers to send the game into double overtime, then to win it in the extra session.

 

BIGGEST BONEHEAD PLAY:

Morgan State forward Ameer Ali's flip of Blake Griffin.

Down a ton late in the game, Ali decided to get chippy with Griffin, arguably the nation's best player.

The two got tangled up under the rim, so to untangle himself, Ali decided to throw Griffin over his back and onto the ground.

This was such a ridiculous play that I think the kid should be suspended for the start of next season. Griffin didn't seem to mind, though; he let his play do the talking.

Honorable Mention: Clemson's Terrence Oglesby elbowing Michigan's Stu Douglass.

FAVORITE TO WIN IT ALL:

Pittsburgh.

The Panthers showed the toughness to survive a strong test from East Tennessee State, one of the best low seeds in history. Then the Panthers knocked off Oklahoma State in what was a difficult matchup for them.

They still possess the best combination of point guard (Levance Fields), wing player (Sam Young), and post presence (DeJuan Blair) in the field, which gives them the edge.

Honorable Mention: Louisville.

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written on March 23, 2009 Rankings/List

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