LOUISVILLE going home......UK CATS squeak by PRINCETON...ST. JOHN'S memorable run over... more NCAAA Tourney NEWS...BULLS 8 in a row

What did the BLUEDUDE tell you yesterday if you tuned in.......IF YOU PLAY 40 Solid Minutes anything can HAPPEN......and for MOREHEAD STATE......IT DID.....they send Rick Pitino and his Louisville CARDINALS home early with a game-winning 3-point shot at the top of the key with 4.2 seconds left to seal the CARDS Fate.

The key to the game was 6-8 Kenneth FARIED of MOREHEAD STATE who leads the nation in rebounding ( that stat alone had PItino and his staff worried as the CARDS were playing small all year with all sorts of injuries ) at 14.6 boards per outing to go along with 17.5 ppg.

The CARDS were out rebounded 33-27 in the game but the telling stat is 11-5 in OFFESNIVE REBOUNDING, which equates to extra possessions and extra shots and MOREHEAD had one extra possession left in them and hit a three to win it.......aftre that game....MARCH MADNESS....and your respective BRACKETS.....are officially on TAP.

The CARDS In-STATE Rival the KENTUCKY WILDCATS just get by PRINCETON 59-57 and the CATS looked like they were going to pull away at the beginning to only play the rest of the 30 plus minutes under the direction and tempo of the TIGERS of PRINCETON NJ.

What's even more fitting is that this was another #4 seed vs #13 seed as was the CARDS vs MOREHEAD STATE, abd the 'CATS almost bit the dust as well. Kentucky Center Josh HARRELSON anchored the UK Attack by netting 15 point to go along with 10 boards but it was his help side defense on the SIGNATURE Princeton Back cut OFFENSE that sealed the victory for UK.

In the TOURNEY no matter what your jersey says or who your opponent is.....just WIN th first game....it' that simple.

When STEVE LAVIN left his post as an ESPN College BASKETBALL analyst to take the St. JOHN'S Job the BLUEDUDE was like UH-OH the JOHNNIES will be back sooner than later. WHAT I didn't know is that the JOHNNIES would finish in the middle of the PACK in the BIG EAST and get a #6 Seed in NCAA TOURNEY........HEY NYC.......your team is back...and now the MARK JACKSON'S and Chris MULLIN'S of the WORLD are feeling a lot better about their alma mater.

But it wasn't just Lavin taking over that was the key it was the STAFF he put together to get the ST. JOHN'S Program running on the fast track. Look at these names: MIKE DUNLAP via METRO STATE, Oregon, ARizona, and DENVER Nuggets......Gene KEADY the Assistant on the US national Team for years and PURDUE BOILERMAKER Legend, and Rico HINES, LAVIN'S 1st recruit at UCLA and former GOLDEN STATE Warrior COACH......that's what will get you on the FAST TRACK to Success in MAJOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL.....KUDOS to the JOHNNIES UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT and ATHLETIC Department for the HIRE......the RED STORM aka the REDMEN are back....and here to stay as long as LAVIN is at the CONTROLS.

The other surprises were how easily UCLA was handling the SPARTANS of MICHIGAN STATE and then how easily the BRUINS almost lost the game at the end.

Also, how the BEARCATS easily get by the TIGERS of MIZZOU and Coach Mike Anderson's 40 Minutes of RUN and JUMP Defense.

MOVING ALONG, the CHICAGO BULLS lead the EASTERN CONFERENCE and and have won 8 straight games and undoubtedly have the NBA'S MVP......DERRICK "POOH" ROSE of Memphis TIGERS by way of SIMEON CAREER Academy of CHICAGO ILLINOIS.

The BULLS were looking all along like they were going to be in the top 4 teams in the EAST just picking up BOOZER in the heralded 2010 NBA FREE AGNECY CLASS but to be 49-18 and looking more and more like the TEAM to beat in the EAST is just phenomenal.

HEAD COACH and 1st YEAR man THIBS as the call him, Tom THIBODEAU has done a masterful job and his DEfense first philosophy has worn onto the BULLS as every night they lay their hats on Rebounding and Defense. And if you want to hoist the LARRY O'BRIEN Trophy in JUNE....it has to be won by those 2 key factors.

BULLS and #2 Seed CELTICS HOME SCHEDULES going down the stretch:

BULLS 8 Road Games Left
HOME

SACTOWN
Beale Street
Philly
Toronto
Valley of the SUN
BEANTOWN
JERSEY

CELTICS 10 Road Games Left
HOME

Beale Street
Queen City
The D
Pat's or Geno's PHiily Cheesesteak
Nations Capital
Gotham City

The BULLS have the easier road schedule left and GREEN TEAM will be on the WEST SIDE APRIL 7th at the MADHOUSE on MADISON STREET......don't forget