Wow. Just wow. What a day of basketball. What a weekend of basketball. Friday was just okay, but the other three days were all but perfect.

I have to start with Cornell. I have had several hours to think about what I saw in that game, and I’m still not sure that I believe it. Cornell was up against a Wisconsin team that was among the most efficient in the country with and without the ball. They don’t mess up often, they score when they have the ball, and they perform very well on defense. Cornell never freaking trailed in the game! They jumped out of the gate like they knew they were going to win, and by halftime they had made a mockery of the thing. There have been many, many impressive performances this weekend, but there wasn’t one better than that. Cornell just knew that they were going to win, and it really wasn’t in doubt. Truly awe inspiring. If that team can carry that game on to next weekend then there is no limit to what they can do. Unfortunately, their next matchup is as bad as it can be. The two teams they have beaten have been thrown onto their heels early and never recovered. Kentucky is dramatically more skilled and explosive than either of those teams, though, so it should be much harder for Cornell to impose their will and stay on top. I have Kentucky in the finals in my bracket, and I still feel pretty good about that, but my heart will be cheering for the Big Red. How can you not love what they are doing?

The last 30 seconds of the Michigan State – Maryland game was the craziest most thrilling thing since, well, yesterday. It was so strange to see that much time run off the clock at the end of a game without several time outs called. Strange in a very good way. That’s certainly not how Greivis Vasquez was looking to end his college career, I would guess.

Did Syracuse look that good or Gonzaga look that bad? That certainly wasn’t what I was hoping for from that one. The way that they played, as well as the way that Syracuse and Duke rolled, just makes what happened to Kansas look even worse.

I couldn’t possibly be happier for Purdue. They are in such a brutal hole without Robbie Hummel, yet with pure grit and determination they found their way into the Sweet Sixteen and a date with Duke. It was a strange win, too. They didn’t score a point in the last 4:30 of regulation, but somehow held on for the extra period, and then found enough of their scoring touch again to come out on top when it was paired with that relentless defense. Great, great show of skill and desire.

I am officially declaring Xavier the new Gonzaga. Actually, they should be getting more attention than Gonzaga ever does. This is now the fourth time in seven years that the team has made at least the Sweet Sixteen, and they made it to the Elite Eight twice over that stretch (so far). There are only a couple of extremely elite programs that can match that record of excellence. The game got close at the end, but Xavier had the edge throughout, and were clearly the better team. They are just plain fantastic – especially Jordan Crawford. I really don’t think that there’s a ceiling to their potential this year. I’m certainly not saying they are going to win it all, but I sure won’t say that they can’t, either.