Live From the Living Room: Second Thursday Afternoon Session

Games - KENTUCKY V. MARQUETTE, BAYLOR V. PURDUE, KENT STATE V. UNLV, ORAL ROBERTS V. PITTSBURGH

Great start for the 'Cats. Up 10-6 at the first break.

Once again UK is taking down to the wee seconds of the shot clock.  This strategy has served them well.

Now they rush it and Ramel Bradley gets a charge.

A.J. Stewart throws a bad pass following a Lazar Hayward putback for the Eagles. 10-10.

Ramon Harris picks up a charge.  A big drought for the 'Cats who have gone nearly five minutes without a basket.

Timeout UK. Marquette owns the glass. Heck, they own the glass factory. 16-10 Eagles.

Perry Stevenson dunks to end the drought.

Not much has changed.  Marquette is up 17-12 at the under-eight break.  But the slow pace favors Kentucky.

Meanwhile UNLV is leading 6-2 early over Kent State.

Already UK has four blocks.  Make it five.

One UK FG in over eight minutes. Their defense is saving them except fouls are starting to mount.  Ramon Harris already has three fouls.

Kentucky has to go with a four-guard lineup now.

Dominic James picks up his second for Marquette.  There is not much flow at all right now. 

Stevenson has another dunk.  I can't remember the last time UK had a score that wasn't a free throw or a dunk.  And Stevenson gets his second whistle.

Joe Crawford has eight points but he picks up his second foul.

UNLV is cruising 13-4 so far.

Alley-oop between Bradley and Crawford. Tied at 23.

Oral Roberts has an early lead on Pitt, UNLV is still rolling and Baylor has a slim lead.

Michael Porter scores his first points since we played Auburn. 26-25 Marquette.

This looks like a nail-biter throughout.  Ousmane Barro missed a gimme dunk and Jerel McNeal falls down with the rebound causing only the third turnover for the Eagles.

Lazar Hayward buries a three to put Marquette up 33-29 at the half.

Kent State has six points in the game with almost 15 minutes gone.

Purdue up five, Pitt up 2.

Except for our featured presentation we have double-digit leads by the faves.

Kent State has ten points at halftime. Ten.

Crawford gets seven points this half.  Tied at 36.

If Marquette could score they would be dangerous.  They've missed two straight breakways and are shooting 36% for the game.

39-36 Eagles at the under-16 mark.

Let's face it guys, the craziness of NCAAs past is gone.  This game notwithstanding, the other deficits right now in live games are all over 20 and it's not even halftime in two of the contests.  Pick upsets at your own peril.

Lazar Hayward posterizes Derrick Jasper.

Dominic James sinks a tough layup between Stevenson and Jasper.

UK takes a TO. Marquette is up by seven with 13 1/2 left.

Nothing has changed with the under-12 break.

Two straight bad fouls by UK (Porter, Bradley).

Hayward now has 16.  He has picked it up in the second stanza.

Bradley now picks up his fourth.  Marquette up by nine with 10 1/2 left.

McNeal took advantage and now the Eagles are up by double figures.

Crawford has 28 of UK's 49 points.

Jasper again is afraid to shoot.  It has resulted in a shot-clock violation.

James hits a big three.  Marquette up by six with four minutes left.

Still blowouts in the other three games while Ronnie the Motorhead fan does his best Philthy Animal Taylor impresonation with the cue stick.

One UK FG in the last five minutes.

James blows by and Marquette leads by eight.

30 for Crawford.  What an effort.

McNeal pulls a UK and hits it with no time on the shot clock.  Eagles by eight with 2:11 left.  It starts to look a little dim for the 'Cats.

Bradley hits a three.  Still life for Kentucky.

Now it depends on the free throws.

And James hits both.  Up by 7 with 1:35.

Dwight Burke hits one.  Up by 8 with 1:15.

Crawford with 32.  Too little too late?

Burke misses.  Crawford with 35!  Down by three.  38.1 left.  No timeouts left for Kentucky.

Wes Matthews has huge freebies coming up.  He cashes both.

Bradley hits a three.  Marquette up by two.  Uk steals a timeout with Ramon Harris' DQ.

More big freebies for Matthews.  He cashes both again.

Jasper turns it over.  Matthews has more big freebies.  And the Pope is Catholic.

21-27 for Marquette from the line.  Bradley misses from Oakland.  Game set match.  First UK first round loss since Poison ruled the charts.

If Joe Crawford doesn't get drafted something is wrong.  What a performance.

Also my first loss in the bracket. 

Marquette wins 74-66.   But you can't fault UK's effort.  These kids gave more than they had.  110 percent is possible.

With the rest of the games being blowouts and my alma mater taking the fall I shall close up shop till the evening.