-- George Mason taking the first shot available -- and missing.

-- Finally, wilth 16:37 left, the Patriots go to Jai Lewis deep inside.

-- A Mason crowd (of course).

-- Mason still shooting too quickly -- and missing easy buckets.

-- Will Thomas showing confidence on offensive end.

-- Hilton Armstrong (and Josh Boone) too tall inside.

-- George Mason continues to miss easy buckets / free throws.

-- Connecticut's too big for George Mason.

-- The height advantage allows the Huskies to get to loose balls.

-- Connecticut failing to capitalize on Mason's poor play.

-- Wichita State travels *really well*. George Mason may be in for one heck of a fight.

-- George Mason goes inside to Will Thomas early. I would have thought they would have gone to Jai Lewis. -- Lamar Butler calmly makes the game's first three-pointer.

-- Great ball movement by Wichita State.

-- Couisinard takes it to the hole -- but is stripped. A good omen for both clubs. The patriots want to be aggressive on offense -- and the Shockers effective on defense.

-- Oh, Folarin.

-- Wichita State is turning the ball over on nearly every possession.

-- George Mason is shooting very well from behind the arc.

-- Another turnover? (By foul). Woah.

-- Attacking Paul Miller, a most interesting strategy.

-- Tony Skinn playing wvery aggressively -- as are his teammates.

-- George Mason has yet to miss a three pointer -- four and a half minutes into the game.

-- Butler just mde George Mason's fifth-consecutive three-pointer -- but Wichita State appears unfazed.

-- Skinn should have passed rather than take it directly at Miller. But you have to love his lack of fear.

-- Wichita State doesn't appear to be too concerned about George Mason's strong start.

-- Mason's defense keeps creating turnovers.

-- George Mason is taking -- and making -- the first shot available. Wichita State is playing with more patience.

-- "We got one guy doing what’s supposed to do," yelled mark Turgeon at his bench with just under five minutes left.

-- Villanova's four-guard fable; the Wildcats have today played two or three big men at (almost) all times.

-- Rodgers picks up two quick fouls to start the second half. A blessing in disguise?

-- Marcus Williams has through eight second-half minutes failed to score a single point; he keeps on missing layups.

-- Arizona keeps hanging around -- but can't get over the hump. If the Wildcats every pull ahead, this place will quiet down.

-- Shakur continues to play well before his hometown crowd.

-- Arizona needs better interior defense; Radenovic is too weak.

-- Shakur and Williams are playing very selfish basketball.

-- Mustafa just got hammered on the break. Should have been an intentional foul.

-- A Villanova crowd, as expected.

-- Shakur is doing a good job under pressure.

-- Dillon getting the playing time; more evidence Olson dislikes Rodgers.

-- Marcus Williams now shooting three huge free throws.

-- Adams just walked, but no call.

-- Foye just walked, call.

-- Crowd is not loving the officials.

-- Shakur again playing well before hometown crowd.

-- Arizona should use Adams more. Sure, Villanova is swaming him, but he's a better offensive option than, say, Chris Rodgers.

-- Shane Clark's coming-out party? He just nailed a huge three from the corner.

-- A huge next 1:22 for Arizona. If Villanova stretches the lead to 10 or 12, this game could be over. But if Arizona cuts it to 4 or 6, we could see a big upset...

-- Armstrong and Boone already making a difference; both are quite assertive on the offensive end.

-- The more I see of Randolph Morris, the more convinced I become he may *never* play in the NBA.

-- If I had to build a college basketball team from scratch, I might first select Marcus Williams -- before Redick, Morrison, Williams, Ray, etc.

-- Mental mistakes in the final seven minutes by both teams.

-- A good day to wear the number 22; both Patrick Pparks and Rudy Gay lead their respective teams in scoring.

-- Bobby Perry nails the big three -- only to airball his next three.

-- What a game!

-- Hilton Armstrong with a second consecutive offensive rebound.

-- And a third (off his own missed free throw).

-- Two-thirds of the taime Patrick Sparks lookslike has no business being on the floor. The other third of the time he looks like he's the best player on the court.

-- Both teams going to their bench early.

-- Rudy Gay came to play -- for a change.

-- (Just over eight minutes left) Only Connecticut would have *two* players sky for an alley-oop in transition.

-- Ed Nelson seeing significant playing time as a result of foul trouble.

-- Denham Brown's shoot is looking smooth.

-- Connecticut failing to extend their lead -- again.

-- Anderson shooting well from outside.

-- Without Boone and Armstrong, Connecticut's interior defense isn't as strong.

12:02 PM: AS ESPN's play-by-play folks just noted, experience makes all the difference for so-called "mid-majors."

12:05 PM: Bucknell is playing active, aggressive defense. But the Panthers aren't helping themselves but settling for bad shots.

12:06 PM: The obligatory mention of Rick Hartzell hiring both Pat Flannery and Greg McDermott.

12:10 PM: The obligatory mention of NCAA Tournament band substitution in 2005.

12:12 PM: Chris McNaughton moves very well for a big man.

12:22 PM: Bucknell is doing a great job with spacing on the offensive end.

12:25 PM: A great defensive game.

12:37 PM: I'm thinking the Bison will at the half emphasize new means and plays of getting the ball to McNaughton.

12:45 PM: Both teams should feel ok but not great at the half.

1:16 PM: More energy from both teams to start the second half.

1:37 PM: Bucknell does a terrific job adjusting to Northern Iowa's success -- first inside and then from behind the arc.

1:39 PM: A huge missed dunk. Would have cut the lead to four.

1:41 PM: Now also watching Kentucky-South Carolina (during commercial breaks).

1:50 PM: Bettencourt's long three...woah!

1:51 PM: Great play call by McDermott. Now Stout must make his free throws.

1:53 PM: Eric Coleman's second steal in three minutes makes up for his missed dunk with about four left.

1:54 PM: Good for Flannery for call a timeout with several seconds left. But his players really ought to have done same moments earlier.

2:00 PM: Love the late-game three point shooting (e.g. Bettencourt).

2:03 PM: Coleman has been sensational down the stretch.

2:10 PM: Strange inbounds pass/turnover with under three left in OT. More intrigue.

2:11 PM: Going into a second OT. I LOVE THIS GAME.

2:16 PM: Bucknell's conditioning -- or lack thereof -- could be the difference in the final (?) five minutes.

2:18 PM: McNaughton can't guard Coleman on the perimiter. He should sink bank and allow Eric to launch from outside.

2:20 PM: Why is ESPN2 showing Charlotte-Fordham? I'd rather watch a "Bracket Buster" contest!

2:21 PM: Even if Bucknell loses, they ought to remain in the Top 25. There's no shame in losing at Northern Iowa.

2:27 PM: Two bad decisions by Jacobson. First, a three-point heave. Second, a foul.

In the first half, after Mike Gansey drove to the basket and Garcia (unintentionally) administered a hard foul, Francisco quickly offered to help Gansey up and gave him a quick hug to apologize. That Garcia would do so -- particularly with Louisville down 15 -- speaks to his character.