ESPN

Pat Forde

  (2:03 PM)

I'm here. Fire!

Chad (staunton Va)

Will the NCAA comm look different at Maryland cause they are the only team in the acc to play Duke and UNC home and away?

Pat Forde

  (2:06 PM)

Chad: One of the hardest jobs these days for the committee is dealing with all the unbalanced league schedules created by massive conferences. Much easier to go simply by records when everyone has played a round-robin schedule. Lacking that, they have to dig into who played whom and where. But the committee will definitely take that into account and has a strength of schedule ranking for both non-conference AND conference play to look at. So I think Maryland will get a fair shake in the committee room.

James (Durham, NC)

How much of a boost for the Duke offense is Elliot Williams, especially in regards to the attention he takes away from Scheyer and Henderson?

Pat Forde

  (2:08 PM)

James: That was a huge jolt of adrenaline and energy Williams provided, and just in time. I'd stop short of going completely ga-ga over that win, if only because Wake Forest has been known to occasionally lapse defensively and appears to be on the downtick overall. But hey, it sure beats the recent performances by the Dukies. And if Williams can approximate that impact from here on, it makes Duke a different team.

Dave (Houston)

Mr. 40, What are the odds of a Memphis vs. Kansas repeat for the championship? A whole lot better than 2 months ago?

Pat Forde

  (2:09 PM)

Dave: Better, yes. But still long. That's asking a lot, given the personnel changes both have undergone. They;re both having great years -- and that KU-OU game last night was a blast to watch, so many big shots -- but I don't see them playing on Monday night in Ford Field.

Tom (Austin)

Give me a team that won't be a 1 seed but has the best chance at winning the championship. Now give me a team that probably will be a one seed and has the best chance of going out early.

Pat Forde

  (2:10 PM)

Tom: As of today, my guess at a non-1 that can win it all would be Louisville and a 1 that could be beaten early would be Oklahoma. I reserve the right to change my mind.

Chris (tampa)

Mr Forde, Acc player of the year and why? Also, who are the other canditates with a legitimate shot at it? Thanks

Pat Forde

  (2:12 PM)

Chris: I'm going to hand out conference POY awards in Forde Minutes in a couple weeks so I haven't gotten to finalize that yet. But I'd say the top candidates are Tyler Hansbrough, Gerald Henderson, Toney Douglas and Tyreese Rice. That's off the top of my head.

Brandon Savannah, Ga

What is the highest seed that UK could possibly get in the tourney?

Pat Forde

  (2:14 PM)

Brandon: I'm no bracketologist. But supposing the Wildcats win out (which would be difficult), I'd say they could be a 5. That depends on what happens elsewhere, of course, and I don't have every team's resume in front of me.

Mr. Clean

Pat, would you shave your head if Missouri won the National Title?

Pat Forde

  (2:15 PM)

Clean: Um, no. But I'd buy a round for the entire student body at Shakespeare's Pizza across the street from the J School.

Matt (Hartford, CT)

Do you think any of the projected 1 seeds could drop? Who do you think is likely to replace them?

Pat Forde

  (2:16 PM)

Matt: Other than Pitt I'd say all three of the other seeds could potentially drop. I doubt they all would, but it's not out of the question. The teams most likely to replace them would be Memphis and either Louisville or Marquette if one of those two actually wins the Big East.

Patrick (Champaign, IL)

Pat--Help a guy out in class. Do you see Illinois as a one-and-done team in March?

Pat Forde

  (2:17 PM)

Patrick: Yes I do. I just cannot trust a team that twice this season has failed to score 40 points in a game. Illinois will D up anyone, but you have to be able to score, too. Now pay attention to your professor.

Bryce (Cincinnati, OH)

Pat, as of right now what at-large team do you think could make the most noise in march?

Pat Forde

  (2:18 PM)

Bryce: Too early to tell, because we don't know who will win the conference tournaments. But keep an eye on Villanova as a team that's coming on strong.

Steve (SLC,UT)

Pat - I'm a giddy student here at the University of Utah. Look what we have here.1) Sugar Bowl Champion Football team2) A Men's basketball team ranked #26 in the nation with a 30 point win over the SEC's best team and on the brink of a conference championship.3) A women's basketball team with one conference loss in almost two complete seasons4) A women's gymnastics team full of hot gymnasts that are ranked #1 in the nation.LIFE IS GOOD....I don't understand why the PAC-10 isn't chomping at the bit to get this premier athletic department into their conference.

Pat Forde

  (2:19 PM)

Steve: Life is indeed good. Live it up, my man. But don't hold your breath waiting for the Pac-10 to come your way. The Pac-10's pace of change makes glacial look like Loyola Marymount of the early 90s.

Ben (Lexington)

I heard a little rumor that Elliot Co. beat Ballard by 18. Any truth to this?

Pat Forde

  (2:20 PM)

Ben: 14 points, actually. For the uninformed, I've got a story on the site right now about a small, rural school in Eastern Kentucky that could be a modern-day Hoosers team, capable of winning Kentucky's single-class state tournament. Check it out if you get a chance.

Greg (Champaign, IL)

Help out a guy not in class. How many teams will the BigTen put in?

Pat Forde

  (2:24 PM)

Greg: Michigan State, Purdue, Illinois, Minnesota and probably at least one more among Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan.

Jequan (Cincinnati)

Is it just me or is it possible that the A-10 may only get one at-large bid this year? Everyone seems to think that Dayton is a lock for an at-large bid, but two of their wins aren't even over division one teams. They had a couple of one point victories as well. Would it be a stretch to say Dayton is no more of a lock (coming out of the A-10) than Temple?

Pat Forde

  (2:27 PM)

Jequan: Temple and Rhode Island at least should be under consideration as well. Both are on hot streaks and both have games remaining against Dayton that will be very important in terms of helping their NCAA profile. That A-10 tournament is getting more interesting by the week.

Alijah(Indianapolis,IN)

Im writing a newspaper article for my local High School and could you tell what your favorite tournament moment

Pat Forde

  (2:28 PM)

Alijah: Happy to help. Not a hard choice -- Duke 104, Kentucky 103, overtime, March 27th (I think), 1992, Spectrum, Philadelphia. Best game ever. Tough to write on deadline, but well worth the trauma. Being there to see it live was unforgettable.

Adam (Champaign, IL)

No Wisconsin?

Pat Forde

  (2:29 PM)

Adam: Whoops, my bad. Forgot about the Badgers in my haste. Yes, Sconsin is definitely in the mix as well.

Will J (Portland, OR)

Forde, what's your opinion on the Calhoun's comments to that reporter during one of his media sessions?

Pat Forde

  (2:31 PM)

Will: Neither side covered itself in glory. The reporter was grandstanding more than seeking a legitimate answer to his questions. That said, Calhoun handled it in typical Calhoun fashion: bristly, defensive and ultimately trying to intimidate the guy. I think a lot of people might have been turned off by Calhoun's remarks about needing every time of his seven-figure salary in order to retire -- a lot of us are going to have to make do on a lot less. Nobody likes millionaires who complain about being underpaid.

JB (Tucson)

Regarding your Duke 104, Kentucky 103 comment, is it harder to write a game story when you know you've just seen something epic that requires an equally great article, or does the storyline write itself for you?

Pat Forde

  (2:33 PM)

JB: Good question. Honestly, I was sitting there in a state of near-shock, pretty intimidated at trying to get that thing written up to the level of the game and in a hurry. My colleague Rick Bozich noticed my paralysis and said, "Look, it's the greatest game I've ever seen. Just do your best." That was like a splash of cold water on the face and got me over the trepidation and into the typing. But I'd rather have great material and try to live up to it than trying to make something out of very little.

Mike (RI)

Mr 40, is there ANY chance at all that the Friars upset Pitt tonight?

Pat Forde

  (2:36 PM)

Mike: I give PC a shot, if only because the Friars can score against anyone and any defense. And they're at home. And they're desperate. But they've going to have to PLAY some D as well to shock the world.

J.B. (Dunmore, PA)

So the Penn State-Illinois game last week would be the opposite of the Duke/Kentucky game then, right?

Pat Forde

  (2:36 PM)

JB: Bingo.

Greg (Champaign, IL)

Does the Illini comeback on Arizona of '05 rank highly as well?

Pat Forde

  (2:37 PM)

Greg: Yes, but I didn't see that live and didn't write it in person. However, a friend of mine, Brett Dawson, covered the game for the Champaign paper at the time and said afterward, "I just had my Duke-Kentucky game."

Ted (ATL)

What struggling major team do you think is most likely to make a conference tourney run and steal an automatic bid?

Pat Forde

  (2:38 PM)

Ted: I think it's possible for an upset in the Pac-10, where nobody has been invincible, or the SEC, for the same reason. Specifically I might keep an eye on Washington State out west and Mississippi State in the SEC.

Jake (Pittsburgh, PA)

Pat, i don't think my question sent. Why is Jamie Dixon not in Coach of the Year discussion?

Pat Forde

  (2:40 PM)

Jake: Legit question. The thing is, Pitt's success was largely anticipated this season. Right or wrong, COY awards usually go to guys who have led teams to surprising or overachieving seasons based on preseason expectation. But no doubt, Dixon has done a great job and easily has his best team at Pitt.

justin(tx) [via mobile]

do the gators beat lsu tonight?

Pat Forde

  (2:42 PM)

Justin: Can LSU lose at home on Fat Tuesday??? Well, yes it can. Blew a 31-point lead on Fat Tuesday in Baton Rouge to Kentucky in 1994, in fact. But the Gators have not been a great road team and haven't given Nick Calathes enough support. So I say LSU wins.

Ryan (Arizona)

Should the NCAA tourney have prerequisites for the post season like the BCS does (6 wins and you're bowling)? Maybe 20 wins or at least a .500 conference record? That would keep teams like Notre Dame out for losing seven straight!

Pat Forde

  (2:43 PM)

Ryan: No. The NCAA Tournament needs no tinkering and no meddling. If Notre Dame can win enough games in a world-class Big East tournament, it deserves to get in.

mark (l.a.)

How many Pac-10 games have you watched this year?How many Big East?

Pat Forde

  (2:45 PM)

Mark: I've seen UCLA, ASU, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, USC and even a little or Oregon State on TV. I've seen UConn, Louisville, Pitt, Nova, Cuse, Georgetown, Providence, Seton Hall, Rutgers, St. John's, Notre Dame and Cincinnati either live or on TV. Geography plus better starting times means I've seen more Big East.

Tom (Houston)

Should Stanford fans be worried about Dawkins? I think some patience should be had until at least 2011

Pat Forde

  (2:46 PM)

Tom: Absolutely. You take the Lopez twins out of the equation and nobody should have expected much from Stanford this season. Give the man time. Stanford doesn't reload automatically, especially after guys leave early.

Clinton, SC

Is it possible North Carolina is just bored in the regular season. We saw what they did to Michigan State, they simply locked Duke down in the second half earlier this year. Will they start to focus as the tournament approaches?

Pat Forde

  (2:47 PM)

Clinton: Yeah, it's possible. Florida was bored in 2007. Everyone knew that this team was Title Or Bust going into the season. We'll see if they crank it back up in March. When Carolina plays (especially when it guards, at least a little) it's still the best team.

Kevin (Provo UT)

With the Mountain West getting a bit more coverage this year with football and now basketball, how well do you see the MWC doing in the tournament this year?

Pat Forde

  (2:49 PM)

Kevin: First things first, I'll be interested to see how many bids the league gets. Utah is in, and then we'll see who else gets in from BYU, UNLV, SDSU and UNM. But I think the league has a chance to get one or two teams to the second weekend, depending on matchups.

Ryan Snyder (California)

Hey pat who do you think will have the first seed in the tournament

Pat Forde

  (2:50 PM)

Ryan: Right now I'd give the overall #1 to Pitt. But the Panthers have four challenging games to go, so that's far from written in stone.

Liz (NC) & Amy (CT) - sisters

Who wins a best out of seven series UNC or UConn...

Pat Forde

  (2:52 PM)

Sisters: Not sure I can settle your debate, because there's no such thing as best of seven -- part of the charm of college hoops. If they played tonight, one game for everything, I'd take Carolina. But a lot can change before those two figure to potentially play...

Ted (Atlanta)

Why is the SEC so bad this year?

Pat Forde

  (2:54 PM)

Ted: A couple thoughts. One, there are very few standout seniors. Two, there are very few standout freshmen. Usually you need some experience and some big-time talent in combination. Three, too many teams played cowardly early schedules that did not season their players and did nothing to help their RPIs. And four, this league has not been terribly well coached overall. That's started to change with some of the moves being made, but it's not over.

Wesley (WI) & Jerel (WI) - brothas

Why is a top ten team battling for Big East supremacy given such little national respect as is Marquette?

Pat Forde

  (2:56 PM)

Brothas, or backcourt mates? Marquette has probably been a bit under-loved to this point. But the Eagles also have played the easiest BE schedule of all the top contenders. Let's see how Marquette does against the other top three in the league, UConn, Louisville and Pitt.

Ben

Hey Pat.. Who is on your list for first team all american right now?

Pat Forde

  (2:57 PM)

Ben: Very tough question. I guess I'd say Blake Griffin, DeJuan Blair, Hasheem Thabeet, James Harden and Stephen Curry. But it's hard to imagine not including anyone from the ACC.

Ben (Lexington)

Are you going to be at Rupp if Elliot Co. makes it?

Pat Forde

  (2:59 PM)

Ben: I wish. But I'm scheduled to be in Chicago for a TV commitment and then the Big Ten tournament. So i"ll probably miss the whole thing. But I will be monitoring from afar, if the Lions get there.

J.B. (Dunmore, PA)

Uh oh, you said Curry as an AA to Ben. Be prepared to fight him now.

Pat Forde

  (3:00 PM)

JB: I'm a lover, not a fighter. And I'll stick up for Curry. Nobody has had a bigger burden all season than he has.

Terry (Moraga, CA)

Should the Selection Committee consider Patty Mills' injury when weighing St. Mary's profile?

Pat Forde

  (3:01 PM)

Terry: Absolutely -- but only if he's going to be back for the NCAAs. They have to select and seed the team based on who will be on the floor in the Big Dance.

Steve (KY)

How can Jodie Meeks not be an all american? Come on the guy is carrying Kentucky, over 25 a game.

Pat Forde

  (3:01 PM)

Steve: Whoops, great point. Forgot about him. He's got to be in the mix.

Ryan

Hey who will win the player of the year

Pat Forde

  (3:02 PM)

Ryan: Blake Griffin is the definite leader if he comes back and plays.

cody iowa [via mobile]

any chance of the bison of ndsu pulling shocker in the dance?

Pat Forde

  (3:03 PM)

Cody: It would certainly be a shocker. But do not discount the threat of a motivated Bison.

Pat Forde

  (3:03 PM)

OK folks, that's it for today. Thanks for all the good questions (875 altogether). Talk to you next week, as we prep for the smaller conference tournaments and the big-league stretch run.