#6 Marquette 74, #11 Kentucky 66.
The only exciting game of the second session, the Wildcats and Golden Eagles went punch-for-punch most of the game. About midway through the second half, however, Marquette started to take the lead for good behind clutch shots by shooting guard/cyborg Jerel McNeal. A Herculean effort from Joe Crawford kept Kentucky within striking distance, but Marquette managed to keep their opponent at arm's length until the final whistle. The Golden Eagles will face the winner of Stanford in the next round.

#6 Purdue 90, #11 Baylor 79
#4 Pitt 82, #13 Oral Roberts 63
#8 UNLV 71, #9 Kent State 58

Might as well pile these three games together; all of them were over by halftime. Purdue's victory was a textbook example of total team effort. Five players scored in double figures, and everyone who played any minutes scored at least eight points.

For Oral Roberts, today's lesson was from the Book of Job. After leading 3-0, and holding their own in the opening minutes, the Panthers went on a huge run and never looked back, nearly doubling up on their opponent at the half. Lavance Fields led the way with 23 points, and Pitt moves on to face Michigan State.

Kent State's first half can best be described as record-breaking offensive futility. Their 10 points were the fewest for a half in the NCAA Tournament since the shot clock era began. UNLV blew them away, and Lon Kruger's giant killers will now face Kansas in the second round.

And it looks like the Stanford game is also over by halftime. Take a breather, and enjoy the night games.

UNLV RUNNIN' REBELS

1. Who are these guys? The Rebels lost four starters from last year's Sweet 16 Cinderella squad, including their leading scorer, rebounder, shot blocker and assist man. While they were expected to be rebuilding towards a contending season next year, UNLV has ridden a great defense led by "veterans" Wink Adams, Curtis Terry and Joe Darger. These same guys have helped UNLV lead the Mountain West in three pointers attempted, averaging 23 attempted 3's a game, many of which are H-O-R-S-E style shots. The great equalizer combined with great defense has helped UNLV dramatically overachieve this season.

2. My two moms. Junior forward Joe Darger has shown a knack for making the big shot late in games. However, last year's tournament appearance brought the rather unique story angle of his religious background. Darger is a devout Mormon from Utah who happens to have two mothers and 17 siblings ranging in age from 2 to 40. If he were to ever make it to the NBA, he'd probably go broke on complimentary tickets for his family.

3. The UNLV Tiny-Tots. Early in the season UNLV coach Lon Kruger dismissed 6-10 center Emmanuel Adeife after he complained about playing time. While it's commendable of Kruger to draw a line in the sand, it also left the Rebels with Joe Darger, a 6-7 forward, and Matt Shaw, a 6-8 forward, splitting the majority of minutes at center. Suffice it to say, there are many high school teams with larger front lines than UNLV's less than traditional "4 guard - 1 forward" offense. — David Fucillo

KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES

1. The Original Bracket Buster. Before there was George Mason, there was Kent State. Back in 2002 the Golden Flashes, behind three stud senior guards (Trevor Huffman, Andrew Mitchell and current FIBA scoring-record holder Demetric Shaw) and current NFL all-pro tight end Antonio Gates (who was an All-American in hoops at Kent and had not played football since high school when he signed with the Chargers), set the standard for Cinderellas when they made it all the way to the Elite Eight before falling to eventual national runner-up Indiana. Kent State took out three nationally ranked foes- Alabama, Oklahoma State and Pitt, not to mention several office pool brackets- on its way to the regional finals and top-12 national ranking.

2. But do they have Buzz Beer on tap? Before he was Bob Barker's Price is Right replacement - and using his status as hero of the everyman to date every stripper in LA - Drew Carey was a student at Kent State University. And the beer-guzzling comic never forgot his roots. When the Golden Flashes made their shocking run to the Elite Eight in 2002, Drew watched every game with KSU students in Kent's version of the Warsaw Tavern. It's called Ray's Place, and after every win, he celebrated by buying a round for everyone in the bar. You can bet KSU students will be lining up at Ray's again this year, hoping to rub elbows with Carey, and maybe get a chance to join him in a game of Plinko.

3. And you are? Mid-American Conference Player of the Year Al Fisher came to Kent State after being recruited by... well, no one on the KSU staff actually saw Fisher play in person. In fact, no one really knew what he looked like until he stepped foot on campus. Fisher, who previously played at Siena and Redlands Community College, was offered a scholarship late in the summer based on videotape and conversations with his former coaches. Of course, he could have received one of genetics alone. His cousin is Niagara's Charron Fisher, the nation's leading scorer.

Quick Flashes ... Kent State is making its fifth tournament appearance since 1999, and second in the last three years... KSU has won at least 20 games in each of the past 10 seasons. The only other schools with such a streak include Duke, Creighton, Florida, Gonzaga, Kansas and Kentucky [Arizona gets there with one win in the PAC-10 tourney]... eccentric forward and MAC Defensive Player of the Year Haminn Quaintance, aka "Q", is the only player in NCAA Division I history with over 1,200 points, 850 rebounds, 250 blocks, 250 assists and 200 steals in his career... MAC Coach of the Year Jim Christian is the winningest coach in MAC history with a .703 winning percentage (135-57)... other notable alumni include Batman (actor Michael Keaton), NFL Hall of Famer Jack Lambert, talk-show host Arsenio Hall, and national championship winning coaches Nick Saban and Lou Holtz. Come to think of it, if the Flashes need a pep talk before the big game...

— Jason Tirotta

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2. My two moms. Junior forward Joe Darger has shown a knack for making the big shot late in games. However, last year's tournament appearance brought the rather unique story angle of his religious background. Darger is a devout Mormon from Utah who happens to have two mothers and 17 siblings ranging in age from 2 to 40. If he were to ever make it to the NBA, he'd probably go broke on complimentary tickets for his family.

3. The UNLV Tiny-Tots. Early in the season UNLV coach Lon Kruger dismissed 6-10 center Emmanuel Adeife after he complained about playing time. While it's commendable of Kruger to draw a line in the sand, it also left the Rebels with Joe Darger, a 6-7 forward, and Matt Shaw, a 6-8 forward, splitting the majority of minutes at center. Suffice it to say, there are many high school teams with larger front lines than UNLV's less than traditional "4 guard - 1 forward" offense. — David Fucillo

OREGON

1. Everybody Hates Ernie. Sort of. After the past two seasons, everyone and their mom wanted Ernie Kent fired for having his second consecutive underwhelming season. Sure, his team made the Elite Eight in 2002 (some say in spite of him), and after the Lukes (Ridnour and Jackson) left, Kent's teams struggled for a couple years (albeit with a national top 10 recruiting class), but even throughout this year's run (winning the Pac-10 Tournament, ending the season #10 in the AP Poll, current Sweet 16 team), some fans still have had enough of him and want fresh blood (read: Mark Few, Mike Montgomery) coaching near the shores of the mighty Willamette. On top of the pressure of coaching for a school that has suddenly decided that it's supposed to be a basketball powerhouse, Kent tore his left rotator cuff before the season after taking a spill on his bike. After wearing a sling for the first few games, Kent got run over by an Arizona player later in the season (during a game), re-injuring the shoulder. Then, factor in the fact that his three-sport (basketball, football, track) son and Jordan was unable to play this season while recovering from torn toe ligaments sustained during the Las Vegas Bowl while wearing one of those ridiculous fade paint helmets, and you have kind of a fucked up year for ol' Ernie.

2. You Bastard. Pat Kilkenny was recently named the new athletic director of Oregon, despite having no NCAA athletic department experience and being a gigantic billionaire booster. The apparent consensus is that he was brought in to get a new basketball arena built, in part because former AD Bill Moos and Nike founder and huge Oregon booster, Phil Knight, weren't the best of pals. The possible site is the former Williams Bread factory (good riddance), right next to a group of the dorms on campus. One would think that the smell of fresh bread would be something to look forward to, but trust me, being greeted by sourdough every morning gets tedious and old quickly. Beyond that, though, Kilkenny has done some good. He took care of first and second round tournament tickets for the students who waited in line overnight and provided a luxury bus to Spokane, possibly the first time a luxury bus has ever been told to go to Spokane.

3. More Fun Duck Facts. Reserve guards Chamberlain Oguchi and Churchill Odia have both played for the Nigerian national team in international tournaments...PG Aaron Brooks and his lady friend had a daughter in the offseason and was close to transferring to a DII school in his hometown of Seattle...SG Bryce Taylor went to the same high school as the Gyllenhalls, Tori Spelling, and Murphy Brown herself, Candice Bergen...Alaskan third string center Ray Schafer had a short-lived beard this season that looked about as good he plays ...Tajuan Porter is still short, in case you haven't heard...The aforementioned Oguchi went to George W. Bush High School, which all things considered, is probably the easiest high school in America. — Dan Rubenstein

UNLV

1. What's next, cable access? After spending most of the decade as part of ESPN's Big Monday package, the Mountain West brain trust decided to leave ESPN for a TV deal with College Sports TV (CSTV). Over the course of the season, UNLV appeared on ESPN2 once (because Bobby Knight was approaching Dean Smith), and the rest of the season was spent on a combination of CSTV ,The Mtn. (a Nevada/Utah CSTV affiliate) and Versus (formerly OLN). Honestly, it would only be appropriate for tonight's game should be broadcast on The Food Network or The Discovery Channel.

2. Top 5 NCAA coach all time? Lon Kruger joined a rather illustrious group of coaches when UNLV won the MWC conference tournament; he became the fifth coach to take four different programs to the NCAA tournament. The win over Wisconsin moved him into even further select company, joining Gene Bartow, Rick Pitino, Bill Self and Eddie Sutton in taking three teams to the Sweet 16. (All four went onto the Elite 8 with all their teams.)

3. 30+ wins then and now. The Rebels have reached 30 wins for the first time since finishing 34-1 in 1990-1991. This year's Rebels have one first-team, one second-team and one third-team all conference player, with no national honors. The 1991 team saw Greg Anthony, Stacey Augmon, Anderson Hunt and Larry Johnson make the first team and George Ackles make the second team all conference. Additionally, that squad had two first team All-Americans and three honorable mentions. — David Fucillo

UNLV RUNNIN' REBELS

1. Viva Las Vegas, baby. Where else can you see pregame introductions featuring fireworks and flames shooting out of the shot clock as players come out on a red carpet? The band plays "Viva Las Vegas" leading into the infamous Reeeee-bels chant, members of the dance team make showgirls look like dogs and courtside seats have featured the likes of casino mogul Steve Wynn and other "Vegas celebrities." Hey, where else are you going to see a mobbed up casino owner cheering on his team?

2. Don't bring that weak stuff here, eh. After redshirting last season, Canadian-born Joel Anthony has provided plenty of thunder down in the blocks. Twice he's approached a triple-double in points, rebounds and blocks, coming up two points short against TCU. Over the course of the season he's had 10 games with at least four blocks, including a school record 12 in the TCU game.

3. Just Win, Baby. The UNLV basketball program has had tremendous success in its 48-year history and has left a high quality, although occasionally shady, imprint all over the record books. They're third in overall program winning percentage behind only Kentucky and North Carolina. They were the second winningest program of the '80s behind North Carolina and had the fourth-longest winning streak of all time from 1990-1991 at 45 games (we won't discuss the rumored thrown game that ended it). — David Fucillo

GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS

1. You Might Be A Yellow Jacket ... Sure, the most famous Georgia Tech — because we're talking about the university here, I will refer to them by their official name, "The Georgia Institute of Technology" — alumnus is Jimmy Carter, who was (reportedly) President of the United States and also won the Nobel Peace Prize, tellingly, not for being President Of The United States. But the GIT ('er dun!) alumnus more recognizable to the majority of United States citizens is no doubt comedian Jeff Foxworthy, the famous "you might be a redneck" fellow and current host of "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?" (Answer: No.)

2. Their Fandom Of Anheuser-Busch Products Rivals The St. Louis Cardinals'. For years, the Cardinals' played the Anheuser-Busch anthem "Here Comes The King" during the seventh-inning stretch — more colloquially known as "the Clydesdale song" — before moving it to the eighth inning when they moved to their new ballpark. The Georgia Tech band has a similar tradition; they play "When You Say Budweiser" during the second-to-last timeout every home game. The fans respond by, according to Wikipedia, "alternately bending their knees and standing up straight." I don't know what that means.

3. Thaddeus REALLY Young. The Yellow Jackets are led by their two hot freshmen recruits, Thaddeus Young — who was born in June 1988! — and Javaris Crittendon have been the team's two best players all season, the two leading scorers, the two dominant forces, if someone who is a teenager can ever be referred to as a "force." The bad news is that they both very well might be gone after this year to the NBA Draft. (Though Crittendon says he's staying.) And I still can't get over the fact that I was already going through puberty when these two were born. (Barely.) — Will Leitch

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2. Don't bring that weak stuff here, eh. After redshirting last season, Canadian-born Joel Anthony has provided plenty of thunder down in the blocks. Twice he's approached a triple-double in points, rebounds and blocks, coming up two points short against TCU. Over the course of the season he's had 10 games with at least four blocks, including a school record 12 in the TCU game.

3. Just Win, Baby. The UNLV basketball program has had tremendous success in its 48-year history and has left a high quality, although occasionally shady, imprint all over the record books. They're third in overall program winning percentage behind only Kentucky and North Carolina. They were the second winningest program of the '80s behind North Carolina and had the fourth-longest winning streak of all time from 1990-1991 at 45 games (we won't discuss the rumored thrown game that ended it). — David Fucillo

John and Carollee [Darger's parents] sat in the lower bowl of the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday night with a few of their younger children. The older ones, who now have children of their own, were directly above them. The family was unable to get enough seats in the same row, so it had to split up.

It somehow seems perfect that Darger plays for UNLV, though they do happen in Vegas but not stay in Vegas. Darger's siblings range in age from 2 to 40, and none of which plan on being practicing polygamists, mainly because, jeez, wouldn't you want some peace and quiet after growing up like that? Las Vegas must seem like a sleepy burg to Darger.

UNLV Forward Does Not Lack Family Support [New York Times] (via Signal To Noise)