Stat of the Day
DeAndre Jordan is shooting almost 70% from the floor and 44% from the free throw line this year. The free throw percentage, as low as it is, is actually a healthy improvement over last year, when Jordan shot 71% from the floor and 39.7% from the free throw line. Would you like to venture a guess of how many people in the history of professional basketball have shot over 70% from the floor while shooting less than 40% from the free throw line over a full season? One. DeAndre Jordan.
Tweet of the Day
This isn’t a good tweet . . . it’s an excuse to watch Ron Magill, the most energetic wildlife biologist in the world, breakdown NCAA Tournament matchups based on mascot fights. If you do anything today . . . click on this.
FIlling our your bracket by mascot?— ESPN (@espn) March 15, 2016
Don't overlook the fierce badger, says animal expert Ron Magill: https://t.co/4jyIqG2LwJ
The official unofficial start of the NCAA Tournament
It’s no secret that the day the college basketball world is waiting for is Thursday, but four teams took the floor last night for the first two play-in games. Expanded to four games in 2011, the play-in games serve as just a taste of tournament action before the real thing. It’s become a great way to slowly ease the viewer into the absolute basketball consumption festival that is this weekend. It’s kind of like how professional eaters eat a few small meals in the days leading up to a competition, or how you take a few small bounces on the kids’ trampoline before you try to do a flip. You gotta ease into it or you’re going to get hurt (you’re still probably gonna get hurt on that trampoline, though)
OK . . . but about the actual games?
The high-flying alley-ooping Georgetown-dismantling Florida Gulf Coast Eagles are no more, but they still found a way to dismantle Fairleigh Dickinson. The team that stole our collective heart two years ago by ripping it out of our chest and lobbing it to a teammate for a backboard shattering dunk is long gone, but darnit if a 16 seed beating another 16 seed by 31 doesn’t raise an eyebrow. Now, I’m not saying this will be the first 16 seed to beat a 1 seed in the history of the tournament . . . but I’m not *not* saying it.
And Wichita State beat Vanderbilt in the matchup of #11 seeds. The shockers lead the nation in defensive efficiency (and subsequently are about as good a bet as you can make on a double digit seed winning a few games). Combine that with the fact that their students, fans, cheerleaders and mascot openly and unashamedly flaunt a sex move as a rallying call and you’ve got yourself a team to watch this weekend.
Mike Francesa wants you to know how much he knows
The big story to come out of the tournament bracket being unveiled was that somebody, somewhere decided to hook somebody up and leaked the bracket before CBS’ bracket unveiling show could do the honors. Well, notoriously sleepy talk radio host Mike Francesa knows who the leaker is . . . but he’s not telling you. He just wants to make sure you know that he knows.
Pacers, Magic, Nets, Raptors, Spurs and Kings notch wins
Not too much of note happened in the NBA Tuesday night. The Spurs win over the Clippers was rather impressive. The Nets scored a season high 131 points, albeit against the 76ers. And the Pacers wore some Hoosiers inspired throwback uniforms.
Capitals clinch playoff spot and a bunch of other teams win
The Washington Capitals became the first team in the NHL to clinch a playoff spot with an overtime victory over Carolina. Alex Ovechkin tallied his league-leading 42nd goal to get the win. Despite a dominant regular season, expect a total of zero experts to pick Washington to win the Stanley Cup, because this is Washington after all.
And the Red Wings lost a crucial game to Philadelphia and now lead the Flyers by one point for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference . . . not to mention Philly has played two fewer games than the Wings.
Vine of the Day
Easter Egg Link Clue of the Day
Yesterday’s clue, “Ron Hunter” was in reference to Georgia State Head Coach Ron Hunter, who, after tearing his achilles celebrating a victory last year, fell off the rolling chair he was coaching from when his son, R.J. Hunter hit a buzzer beater to propel the #14 seed Georgia State over #3 seeded Baylor. It was the best moment in the tournament last year.
Today’s clue: that’s a double negative
Did Tim Tebow get signed today?
No, Tim Tebow remains a free agent at this time.
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