Live Blog: 11 AM to 2 PM

Welcome one and all. We are underway with here at Sports News On Tap. Live blog all day.

11:15: You are looking live at the Niagara 230 house, which is sponsored by Little Ceasers, Mountain Dew, and Lenies. I cannot wait to get it started.

11:16: Clemson wins the tip, and Big Cat says of Huggy Bear's sweatsuit... "He just got done with the elliptical." First joke in.

11:20: Eric texts me his picks for the first session... Clemson, ODU, Ville, and Penn State. I have the ODU/Ville but I changed it up with WVA/Temple. He can't be here because he is taking a test at 1230. Rough.



11:22: Big Cat asks who is scarier Frank Martin or Bobby Huggins? I said that's like asking me who is a worst dictator... Muammar Gaddafi or Hosni Mubarak? He seemed confused.

11:23: 7-2 Clemson early, the Mountaineers are cold and John Flowers has two fouls. Not good.

11:26: Eric's dad Tom Crean is doing a great job on TruTV. It's good to see too because we all know Crean will be out of a job next year. Yes I am still bitter.

11:29: I usually like flashy stuff on the basketball court but the front of the Mountaineers' shoes look like I went to take a pee on them after a workout. Horrendous.

11:30: Also horrendous is the start by West Virginia. 15-6 Clemson. The big Turkish guy is in for some offense.

11:33: This is Pat here, the thought of WVU already blemishing three of my brackets... the bottle of Jamison is on alert. -PL

11:34: Fant just texted me asked for media credentials for the games in Tampa. I don't think the Tap is there yet. But we will work on it. I just want to see him attempt to hit on Erin Andrews.

11:35: How Joe Mazzulla did not make the Van Wilder team is an absolute shame, and I am embarrassed.

11:41 This is the song Big Cat is singing He is now clapping. I woke up to him, the man is the human alarm clock.

11:42: Kevin Jones WHO?! Kevin Jones! Pulls the Mountaineers back to a 24-20 deficit

11:44: In the other game, we have ODU up 9-6 in DC. Matt Howard has to be related to Andy Samberg, they look way too similar.

11:45: Big Cat makes the point that Howard does not have the white tee that brought them to the National Championship game.

11:50: But he's been rocking that arm sleeve like a real O.G.-Mitch

11:51: I forgot how great Blaine Taylor's mustache is. ODU is worth picking just because of the stache, he rocks. Do you know their arena is called 'The Ted'. Somewhere my buddy Ted smiles.

11:56: Updates: We have the Tigers up 6 (33-27) and the Monarchs up 5 (18-13). I love the ability to channel flip, it's fantastic.

11:59: Big Cat sees today as a mediocre Mullet Day, I considered it a pretty good one.

12:00: Big Cat also says he will go as Gordon Bombay for Halloween. I ask him what style, the slick back look? He goes Hendricks sponsored version of Bombay. Classic

12:01: He continues with just saying 'Oh Mr. Tibbles.' and goes 'Of course he isn't okay, he just got nailed with a Fulton Reed slapshot, he is just Troy Aikman out there with drool coming out of his mouth.' I have tears laughing so hard.

12:03 Did Jerai Grant give Bryan Narcisse his goggles? Did he just go, hey man these are from my uncle Horace, he has alot of them.

12:07: I cannot be least excited for Chaos. That show looks like it will cancelled in the first three weeks.

12:08: The Mountaineers come back to tie the game at halftime. Terrific. 40 all. Should be a fun one.

12:10: From Eric who is supposed to studying for a test, "I said 35 hail marys this morning to make up for picking WI to the Final Four. That Southeast bracket will be the death of me." I agree with that second part. I will despise the Southeast.

12:12: The Butler Bulldogs have a one point lead on ODU with 4:38 left. I know some who put the Monarchs into the Sweet 16.

12:16: All the sudden TruTV turned into Family Guy. Big Cat and I believe Grandpa Dan's TV is possessed with the Poltergeist.

12:17 Bulter is in some foul trouble, but so far, withstanding the pressure. 22-22 with 3 minutes left in the first. Noticing how I do not have to watch halftime of the other game.

12:21 Eric's class got cancelled at 2 pm. Can't wait to hear him bitch for hours upon hours. The Monarchs took the lead, this game is like watching like old people have sex.

12:22 Eric's refusal for the other TV coverage is like Charlie Conway not being able to accept in D3 that he is not a Duck. Time to move on.

12:24 If there is ever a movie on Saint Patrick, we need Samuel L. Jackson to start because he obviously knows how to get rid of snakes.

12:30 I think I might need to start drinking soon. I need to take the edge off. Thankfully the refs missed that travel call at the end of the first half of the Clem-WV game.-Michael

12:31 Start of the second half between the Tigers/Mountaineers.  See how that works, at halftime in one game and watching the game in another. I love being right.

12:32 We need to start some sort of investigation on Cam Thoroughman. I swear he has to be 28 with that receding hair line.

12:38: Pat chimes in "Is it just me or does Shelvin Mack look like his mascot?" I agree he can join the bulldog club along with a guy I played against in high school. No one looked more like a bulldog than that kid.

12:41: WVA up five now and there might not be an uglier player than Deniz Kilici in college basketball.   Turned it over to the funniest game of the morning. Pitno versus Morehead State. We also have Raftery here, ONIONS!

12:45: The Vile is off to slow start, which is kinda surprising. Pitino's teams usually start and finish fast.  Weird.

12:47: Brett has been missing with Seth's car for now sometime now. Either he is finally taking his road show to the circus, or he crashed the car. One of the two.

12:49: He returns with cans of Guinness. Very St. Patty's Day like of him, although I don't think I can drink Guinness in anything other than the taps at the bars.

12:50 Score updates  we have the Mountaineers up 56-47 11 minutes left,  32 all in ODU/Butler with 18 minutes left, and 7-0 Morehead.  Pitino must be dreaming about something.

12:55: The Bulldogs are starting to get in foul trouble, and Tim Brando is trying to act black.  It's not a good look. ODU only up one thro.

12:56: From my buddy Bails, 'WE. WANT. MORE. HEAD.... (state). Great chant, should be used throughout the game. Their head coach is named Donnie, cue the Big Lebowski jokes.   Louisville hasn't scored in five minutes. The same cannot be said for Pitino at the Italian restaurant.

1:01 The Ville is on the board, Clemson is down 8 with 730 left, ODU up two with 14 minutes left.

1:02 MY GOD IT'S THE AVATAR!  Do you think Bill Cartwright goes inside his body or is it Robert Parrish?

1:05 Well there is an extra i in Pitino. Whoooops. It happens.  We have made the turn to ODU/Butler, very defensive and going back n forth.  43-42 Butler with 11 minutes left.  19 lead changes already. Stunning

1:08 Morehead still up 9 with about 9 minutes left in the first.  Might be too soon to put Louisville on upset alert, but exciting to know there is a possibility.  

1:09 Other games, WVU up 8 with 6 minutes left. The Tigers have not be able to get a stop in the last seven minutes.  They are finally taking it to the lane and seeing results.

1:10 In no way should all three games be at commercial at the same time. You have no idea what do.

1:11 Brett is complaining about fouls and non-fouls already. It only took him 20 minutes. Glad to have him.

1:15 Brett feels like Matt Howard does not look like Samberg. He replies "Do you know who Kyrie Irving looks like?"  "Drew Barrymore."  The guy is a Debbie Downer.

1:17 Bulldogs have put themselves up 5 with about 10 minutes left. That might be the largest lead of the game.

1:20 Brando asks 'How many great players have come from Newcastle, Indiana.'  Brett: "Correction, how many white players have come from Newcastle, Indiana."

1:21 The Tigers have pulled it to six with about 250 left. We will be making the turn after the commercial.

1:22 Charlie humps sofa.  Brett throws up violently

1:25 There is your dagger. Eric is here, and he is already pissed that Clemson will lose.  'Yeah this would happen to me.'   80-71 WVU

1:26  We have set our couches to be 'snuggle-proof ' for the ones with relationships in the house.  It's a great move.

1:27 We had a near telestrator dong in the ODU/Butler game.  The score we got here is Butler 52-50 with under 9 minutes.  Disappointing.

1:29 The Ville is starting to mount their comeback.  Tie game now, it's funny since Pitino knows only the missionary position

1:33 God Temple is off to a slow start. Remind me why I picked them to win?  They haven't won a game since 2001, I am an idiot.

1:38 Eric might see a Sweet 16 to go out and this would mean he is 0 for 2.  Hopefully he is the Detroit Lions of College Basketball tournament picker.

1:40 I asked Eric if it shocked him that Tony Battie is in the NBA.' He replies that nothing will shock him more than Vonnie Holiday being in the league.

1:41 Headed down to the wire here in DC. The Bulldogs is up by 4 with 1:52 left.  Here we go.

1:45 Big turnover by Butler, ODU down 2 with 36 seconds left.  ODU has the ball

1:47  I don't know if I agree with the call. Not a great free throw shooter. Kent Bazemore hits the first one, nails the second. All tied up with 31 seconds

1:49 SAMBERG AT THE BUZZZER!!!!!!!!!



1:50 It will continue, and Eric has a sweet 16 team knocked out. Classic.

1:52 Temple has took the lead and Louisville is at half.  I hope Penn State/Louisville loss so Eric can start the day 0-4

1:58 Well we have Morehead State and Louisville on the big screen. Awaiting the other games to start.  Moving on to Round 2