The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom
Don't do as Digger
does take chances
on your bracket
' - AL "Tuesday, March 18, 2008 - 9
Walk-on gets first playing time
Our own hoops
pundit's guide to
making smart March
Madness picks
By MARK GIANNOTTO
Daily Sports Editor
There was a time when ESPN's
Digger Phelps wasn't just a run-
ning joke.
Phelps used to coach at Notre
Dame, where,
in 1978, his big-
gest achieve-
ment was
ending UCLA's DANCE
88-game win-
ning streak. with Mark
Now,
though, Phelps
is known more for his ridiculous
idea of matching ties with high-
lighters and his pedophile-esque
dance moves with Kansas cheer-
leaders (go to YouTube and check
out "Digger Phelps dancing" to see
the old man sleaze like a champ)
than for anything basketball-
related.
So it came as no surprise dur-
ing ESPN's countless hours of
Bracketology babbling that Dig-
ger decided "to go out on a limb"
and pick all four No. 1 seeds to go
to the Final Four in the this year's
NCAA Tournament.
I looked up at the TV and just
shook my head, wondering why
the producers of the worldwide
leader would allow such nonsense
to actually hit the airwaves.
After all, I think we all know
the Final Four never features just
No. 1 seeds.
But then it hit me. When you
really think about it, Digger is the
one outsmarting us. After all, the
Final Four is never all No. 1 seeds,
so ol' Digger really is actually
going out on a limb.
Many think this "going out on a
limb" approach is the key to a suc-
cessful bracket in any tournament
pool. These people are stupid. Just
like Digger.
These are the guys or girls in
your pool who pick a ton of upsets
in the early rounds, thinking
they've got it
all figured out,
M a only to see their
picks fizzle out
FLOOR come Final Four
time.
Giannotto Remem-
ber, the "going
out on a limb"
approach is what Digger adheres
to and that goes against the way
I live my life. Instead, I adhere to
the "what would Digger not do"
theory. Just like having four No.
1 seeds in the Final Four makes
little sense, neither does picking a
ton of early upsets.
Don't get me wrong, correct-
ly predicting upsets is cool and
shows you know a lot about col-
lege basketball.
But generally, the key to a suc-
cessful bracket is picking at least
three of the four Final Four teams
correctly and choosing the correct
national champion as well. Most
early-round upsets don't even
make it to the second weekend
of the tournament, where more
points are up for grabs in most
pools.
See TOURNEY, Page 10
Penalty kill recovers
from struggles in
first-round sweep
of Mavericks
By MICHAEL EISENSTEIN
Daily Sports Writer
With any career or playoff
debut, there's always some added
pressure.
So when both
come in the NOTEBOOK
same game, well,
one can just imagine the flurry of
emotions sophomore Eric Elm-
blad felt last Friday.
"There were definitely nerves,
but just so much excitement, so
much adrenaline pumping," Elm-
bladsaid. Hisfirstactioncameless
than six minutes into the contest,
after Michigan's first score. "I got
over it quick though. I think (the
early lead) helped me."
A walk-on, Elmblad had never
seen game time before. But after
freshman defenseman Scooter
Vaughan required surgery to
repair his broken jaw suffered
during the bye week while wres-
tling with a teammate off the ice,
Elmblad became a favorite to take
over as Michigan's sixth defense-
man.
The main issue, for coaches,
was Elmblad's lack of in-game
experience. He hadn't played in
a game in more than two years
and had been limited to relatively
tame practice sessions. Michigan
coach Red Berenson has reiter-
ated on multiple occasions the
difficulty of keeping up with the
pace of the team when not play-
ing in the weekend series. Against
Nebraska-Omaha, Elmblad didn't
play nearly as much as the other
five blueliners.
Michigan coach Red Berenson played walk-on sophomore Eric Elmblad this weekend in the first games of his college career.
"It's definitely a faster pace, it's
definitely more intense," Elmblad
said.
"The guys told me to keep it
simple, everyone was giving me
encouragement the whole time.
They were behind me, and that
helped that they believed in me,
too."
Elmblad's family drove down
from the Upper Peninsula to
watch the game, and many friends
and relatives listened to the game
on the Internet. But they weren't
the only fans of his effort this
weekend.
"I thought he looked good,"
Berenson said. "I think it was
good to see him play early, good
to get him in the game in the first
period and some confidence. It
was the right kind of game to play
him in and he played fine, so good
for him."
KILLING THE BEST: Com-
ing into the Wolverines' CCHA
quarterfinal matchup with the
Mavericks, there was one glaring
mismatch for Michigan: Nebras-
ka-Omaha's power play versus
Michigan's penalty kill.
Two weekends ago, the Wol-
verines surrendered five power-
play goals to Ferris State, which
was then converting at a measly
14.9-percent clip, the 35th-best
rate in the country. Michigan
assistant coach Billy Powers felt
the unit was "a little hesitant."
But against the Mavericks'
top-ranked power-play unit, con-
verting at 24.4 percent entering
the weekend, Michigan was any-
thing but that, holding Nebraska-
Omaha to two goals in 12 chances
on the man advantage.
"Our penalty killers were real-
ly dialed in," Berenson said. "We
were more aggressive. We were
a lot more aggressive. We ran the
passing lanes better, in the shoot-
inglanes better, we pressured the
puck more, rather than being on
our heels. I felt we kept them on
their heels."
INJURY UPDATE: Vaughan
participated in practice yester-
day, wearing a specially fitted
helmet to protect his surgically
repaired jaw. ... Freshman Matt
Rust did not practice yesterday
but could return to the ice today,
Berenson said. Rust suffered a
hairline fracture to his fibula, a
non-weight bearing bone in the
ankle late last week.
DAILY BRACKET CHALLENGE
NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four
March 20 - 21 March 22 - 23 March 27 - 28 March 29 - 30 April 5
1. UNC (32-2)
16. Play in Winner Score t
8. Indiana (25-7) a $25 g
9. Arkansas (22-11) restau
5. Notre Dame (24-7)
12. G. Mason (23-10)
4. Wash. St (24-8)
13. Winthrop (22-11)
6. Oklahoma (22-11) CHARLOTTE
11. St. Joseph's (21-12)
3. Louisville (24-8)
14. Boise St. (25-8)
7. Butler (29-3)
10. S. Ala. (26-6)
2. Tennessee (29-4)
15. American (21-11)
1. Kansas (31-3)
16. Port. St (23-9)
8. UNLV (26-7)
9. Kent St. (28-6)
5. Clemson (24-9)
12. Villanova
4. Vanderbilt (26-7)
13. Siena (22-10)
6. USC (21-11) DETROIT
11. Kansas St. (20-11)
3. Wisconsin (29-4)
14. Cal. St. Ful. (24-8)
7. Gonzaga (25-7)
10. Davidson (26-6)
2. Georgetown (26-5)
15. UMBC (24-8)
National Title Final Four Elite Eight
April 7 April 5 March 29 - 30
Sweet Sixteen Second Round
March 27 - 28 March 22 - 23
First Round
March 20 - 21
e most points and win
ift certificate to the
rant of your choice.
-1 H
1. Memphis (33-1)
16. Texas-Arl. (21-11)
8. Miss. St.(22-10)
9. Oregon (18-13)
5. Michigan St. (25-8)
12. Temple (21-12)
4. Pittsburgh (26-9)
13. 0. Roberts (24-8)
iOUSTON 6. Marquette (24-9)
11. Kentucky (18-12)
3. Stanford (26-7)
14. Cornell (22-5)
7. Miami (22-10)
10. St. Mary's (25-6)
2. Texas (28-6)
15. Aust. Peay (24-10)
1. UCLA (31-3)
16. Miss. Val. St (17-15)
8. BYU (27-7)
9.Tex. A&M (24-10)
5. Drake (28-4)
12. W. Kentucky (27-6)
4. Connecticut (24-8)
113. San Diego (21-13)
HOENIX 6. Purdue (24-8)
11. Baylor (21-10)
3. Xavier (27-6)
14. Georgia (17-16)
7. W. Virginia (24-10)
110. Arizona (19-14)
2. Duke (27-5)
15. Belmont (25-8)
P
To be eligible for the prize, you must bring your completed bracket to
The Michigan Daily office at 420 Maynard St. before the tournament
begins Thursday morning. One bracket per person allowed. Check
our blog (michigandaily.com/thegame) for occasional updates.
Your Name
Total Points in
Championship game
(tiebreaker)
E-mail
Phone
The first-round games are worth one point, two in the second round and then four, eight, 16 and 32 in subsequent rounds.