Extrapolater is on the Wilcats Squared starting 9:30....join him after the jump.

Kentucky #8 West Region:

Conference Southeastern
Location Lexington, KY
Coach Tubby Smith (since 1997)
Arena Adolph Rupp Arena
Record 21-11 (9-7)
RPI 12
NCAA Appearances 48
NCAA Record 99-43 (.697)
Last Bid 2006
Last Win 2006

Villanova #9 West Region:

Conference Big East
Location Villanova, PA
Coach Jay Wright (since 2001)
Arena Pavilion
Record 22-10 (8-6)
RPI 19
NCAA Appearances 27
NCAA Record 42-27 (.609)
Last Bid 2006
Last Win 2006


With Kentucky getting a middling seed again this year, most of America is only excited for another chance to see Ashley Judd bounce up and down in a blue t-shirt. And apparently, Villanova fans will be combating that with a lamp. Sorry, but that's advantage-Kentucky.

The winner of this game will meet the Kansas Jayhawks. As a Kansas grad who also happened to grow up in Lawrence, I can't tell you how good it feels to see Kansas with double the score of their first round opponent. It's an absurd level of relief. That leaves us with the defending champs as the only 1 seed still facing a 16.

By the way, since AA gives us full license to shill our hit-whoring hearts out - I have a blog called College Rule Notebook. I'm trying to collect stories about pretty much every school in the U.S. (though I already have an entry from the United Arab Emirates, so let's not think small). I don't have entries for either Kentucky or Villanova, so partisans head over there before the game and hit the survey link. It takes no time at all.

Blah blah blah, Extra P. Where's the game?



Can I tell you how much I despise the Monty Python rip-off commercial for Ensign Mortgage? Yikes, it is bad.

I'd like to join OMDQ in his quest to get Bill Simmons to mention Awful Announcing by saying I just watched KEVIN DURANT play, and I think he will look great in a BOSTON CELTICS jersey next year. And, just for good measure, TOM BRADY.

Nantz and Packer.... oh, joy.

Dwight Perry had to start because they put the wrong Perry in the scoring lineup, so Tubby has his player commit a foul so he can get the other Perry in. Wonder if he'll regret wasting a foul?

We've traded buckets while Blogger is down, so it's Villanova 3, UK 2.

Eesh, a few buckets have fallen while I was trying to figure out why Blogger was down.

With 16 mins left, it's Villanova 9, Kentucky 6.

Meeks hits a three for UK and we're tied.

This is going to be a challenge for me, not being able to fall back on the team nickname as an alternate descriptor.

Long pass and Morris from Kentucky swats it - goaltend.

Nova is pressing early.

With 14:40 left, it's Nova 11, UK 9.

Reynolds is out with two fouls already, that's going to hamper Nova a bit.

The rim is speaking, it's saying "BONG!" a lot.

Then Nardi nails an NBA three, and the rim falls silent. The Wildcats in blue have 14.

A Canadian and a Cajun enter the game. Do they trash talk in French?

UK's Stephenson rams one home. Packer calls it "a pretty good play".

14-11 for Nova, make that 16.

Thomas (the Canadian) gets one to drop and it's 16-13. Under 12:00 break.

The numbers on the Nova jerseys are odd. The 11 looks like the double line on a highway - too close together.

Sheridan blocks Casper and then Cunningham gets to shoot two.

At 11:00 it's 18-13 for Nova.

Thomas looked like he walked, but perhaps it was just a 394 degree pivot.

Villanova has zero offensive rebounds but are leading the game by five. Odd stat.

Bradley nails a three for Kentucky and we're tied at 18! DICK VITALE IS ON FIRE!!!

8:00 left and Perry shortarms a three badly.

This game is kind of chippy - lots of bodies hitting the floor. I like that.

Jackson State is leading Florida. What a beautiful dream.... from National Champs to knocked out by a 16 seed. And all because Joakim Noah is an asshat.

Scramble for the ball, more of that brutal floor crashing action!

With 6:30 left, it's still UK 19, Villanova 18, and nova hasn't scored in six minutes.

I've had two beers and I think I could shoot better than either of these teams. Of course, I'd be winded after two trips up and down the floor, but that's not my point.

Kentucky's on an 8-0 run, but as soon as Nantz says it, Nova scores.

Crawford muscles one inside, and it's 23-20 for UK.

Lukasz Obrzut enters the game for Kentucky. From now on, he's "The Pole".


Well, crap. The most recent round of Blogger malfunctions just ate the last several lines of text I typed. That was not a happy moment. We go to half with Kentucky leading 30-28. I promise, I wrote a whole bunch of stuff.

The main thing I wanted to say was, I expected more out of Nantz & Packer. Not one stupid or dirty-sounding comment yet. The site is called AWFUL Announcing, not COMPETENT BUT BORING Announcing, fellas.

Mike says "Lord save us from another Dickie V. commercial"

I've been watching so much CBS, I don't want to see ANY of these commercials, EVER AGAIN!

Aaargh, of course the Gators have started to toy with Jackson State. I didn't really think they'd lose this early, but a guy can dream.

Hmmm... apparently Christian Laettner once made a shot that people gave a shit about. That must have been a looooong time ago.

I didn't know Cuba Gooding was a Jackson State fan.

One of my local restaurants is advertising their "renowned Hummus". And yet, this is the first time I have heard of said hummus.

Ah, time for a blatant plug. I am Extrapolater, and I also run College Rule Notebook. And we have the finest hummus on the internet.

Ah, finally. Packer: "Randolph Morris on the inside for Kentucky has been too much of a load for Villanova to handle". That's all I got right now.

Nova scores right off to tie things at 30-all.

Kentucky has 7 turnovers to Villanova's 3. Still, not a high number for either team.

Nova scores two. I'd tell you who's hitting the shots, but Nantz and Packer like it when I guess.

Reynolds for Nova got fouled on a three, and hits two shots to make it 34-30 for the Philly school.

Crawford floats across the lane and hits a sort of hook shot to bring Kentucky back within two.

Morris hits one free throw after being fouled by Redding, and Kentucky is still back by one.

Two more free throws and Kentucky leads by one with 17:oo left.

Haven't seen Ashley Judd once. If she skipped this game to make some third-rate romantic comedy, I'll be disappointed. If she skipped it because Kentucky isn't a high seed, I'll be sad.

Bradley has three fouls and has to sit next to Tubby. It's now 37-36, make that 40-36 for UK after a big three. That's the biggest lead of the night for Kentucky.

Kentucky's been on a 10-2 run over the past 3:30.

I'm dying to see the Wildcat mascots rumble. The Villanova version looks kind of fierce, while the Kentucky version looks a little... well.... stoned.

Huh. I didn't know "The Unit" was still on.

14:29 left, and Kentucky steals the ball. Then throws it away. Lots of running, very little scoring at this juncture.

Two full minutes have passed with no scoring.

As a reminder, it's 40-36, make that 42-36. I can always break a stalemate by trying to type the score. Works like a charm.

Kentucky is up by seven, which counts as a heeyuge lead in this game.

Meeks hits a three. It's an eight point lead for Kentucky.

Packer says Kentucky wants to "occupy some clock". I don't think that word means what you think it means.

47-39 for Kentucky still. 8:26 left in the second half. Morris shooting free throws.

Hits two to make it 49-39 Kentucky.

Sumpter hits a three to cut the lead to seven.

Just seven minutes left, and it's 50-42 for Kentucky.

Villanova gets two back on free throws.

Morris is tearing Villanova up inside. Ugh. Is it possible for an AA live-blogger to make the "day in quotes"? I can't believe I just typed that.

This is a remarkably sloppy game. I think Kansas will have a field day with either of these teams if they don't get their offenses working.

54-46 for Kentucky with 5:49 left in the second half.

Nardi barely beats the shot clock on an inbounds pass. Nice, nice poise.

Meeks front-rims a three. Nova rebounds.

Reynolds goes to the line. Morris has four fouls, which alters the rest of the game for Kentucky - he's been their real inside presence. It's 54-50 for UK - Nova is coming back.

Man. Every time something exciting is about to happen (the fast break that just came off) a brutal foul ends it. If the teams weren't above 50 points each, I'd think I was watching the Big 10.

3:08 left, and a59-50 lead for UK.

I just realized I was about two minutes behind game action on my DVR. I really shouldn't drink while live-blogging.

Fortunately, the commercials are so long, I caught up immediately.

Looks like So Ill is finally pulling ahead of the Cross.

I guess I'd rather see Kentucky go on to face Kansas in the second round, because of all the tradition, but good lord, I don't want to see either of these teams play again, in reality.

2:13 left, and it's 59-54 for Kentucky. Villanova gets out the trap on the ensuing possession, and commit a foul to put Thomas on the line.

Tubby is crying for hard fouls to be called. What, and ruin the flow of the game? The pace has be Paleolithic!

Bradley reaches in and gets bashed in the jaw for it. He's lying on the court and gets charged with the foul as well. That's four on him, and Nova gets to shoot with the clock off. 61-56 after the shots.

Press on for Nova. Another wide open shot goes to shit as Morris cups the basketball into his crotch and walks with it. Ugh.

Ah, Packer says "Kentucky gets big again".

Nova's gone ice-cold. They foul Meeks and put the freshman on the line with 1:07 left in the game.

64-56 for Kentucky.

Reynolds and Morris get players of the game. Big shock, as those are the only names I heard called most of the day, except for Meeks.

Sheridan fouls out, we have 51 seconds left. Packer points out that two former Tulsa coaches will match up in the second round - Self and Tubby.

Kentucky goes up 9 and nova wastes too much time passing the ball around. The refs let two Nova players mug the man with the ball and don't blow the whistle. Apparently they're ready to hit the bars. Frankly, so am I.

It's now an eleven point lead for Kentucky after the free throws. And yet we have to endure another time out with 11 seconds left.

Whew, game over in Chicago, and we fly out to the So Ill Holy Cross game. I'll leave that one to OMDQ.

I have been Extra P. See you in the blogosphere.