Murray State Basketball

The Marquette Golden Eagles blew the BYU Cougars out of the water in the second round of the NCAA tournament, but the play of Isaiah Canaan and the Murray State Racers will prove to be a much more challenging opponent for the mighty Big East squad.

The Racers, who went 30-1 this past season, got off to a hot start in this year's tourney by taking down the Colorado State Rams in a 58-41 victory.

In that game, Canaan scored 15 points while grabbing seven boards with two dimes and a steal. Canaan has been a force all season long for the Racers, and while his rebounds were much higher than his typical output, he has the ability to pour on the points.

This season, Canaan is averaging 19.2 PPG, and if he can find his typical output or beyond in this matchup, it could prove to be difficult for the Golden Eagles to find an answer to what he can do.

The Golden Eagles were convincing in their win over BYU, holding the team to just 37.7 percent from the field, but their team doesn't have a player who is a prolific scorer like Canaan is.

The Racers taking this game would be a huge upset in this tournament, but they are a team that can certainly pull it off—especially considering how things have been going down this year.

The team will have to focus on stopping the beastly play of forward Jae Crowder, who has just been playing incredible all season long. It has been no different in the tourney either, as he dropped 25 points and 16 rebounds on BYU.

Canaan will have to have a better performance than the previous matchup, as he did go just 4-of-13—mostly hampered by a poor 1-of-6 from beyond the arc. He won't be able to do it alone though, as even when he scored 31 points against Tennessee State back on February 2, the team still fell 72-68 to receive their only loss of the season.

The Racers will have their chance to make some noise, but they won't be able to even imagine that situation if they don't see a great performance from their star.

Jeff Chase is a Featured Columnist for the Chicago Cubs and Arizona State football.
Follow @Real_Jeff_Chase

It's almost impossible to top the first round of the NCAA Tournament in terms of drama and excitement. Still, though, there are plenty of second-round match-ups and story lines to watch.

Here are three you should be paying special attention to.

VCU vs. Indiana

There were probably few shocked to see VCU knock off Wichita State in the first round. The Rams are just one year removed from making the Final Four.

For Indiana, it was business as usual as they beat New Mexico State by 13.

This match-up presents an interesting game between the established, historical elite in Indiana, and a team that is fighting for sustained legitimacy in VCU.

Barring a miracle, it's also interesting to see who will face Kentucky in the Sweet 16.

The Hoosiers knocked off the Wildcats in Assembly Hall earlier in the season so that would be a fun rematch to watch. Also, for VCU, beating Kentucky would show fans that the school isn't just a one-year wonder.

UNC vs. Creighton

Although the Tar Heels made pretty quick work of Vermont in the first round, they are vulnerable.

Without John Henson, they are clearly a worse team. Should he return, who knows how effective he will be?

Creighton is hot right now, having won their last eight games.

They're also a very good offensive team. Although they only managed 58 points against Alabama, the Jays have the seventh-ranked scoring offense in the nation and lead the country in field-goal percentage.

With any luck, this will be an open game with both teams running up and down the floor.

Murray State vs. Marquette

Fans might have felt that Murray State was disrespected by earning only a No. 6 seed in the tournament despite finishing the season with only one loss.

The beautiful thing about the tournament is that they can rise above this perceived slight. If the Racers don't think they got enough respect, beating Marquette would go a long way to earning that respect both for now and the future.

Plus a win against the Golden Eagles would pit the Racers against the winner of the Florida/Norfolk State game. So either Marquette or Murray State have a much easier road to the Elite Eight than expected.

Marquette had one of their better regular seasons in history. They were dominant in their win over BYU. Although they had to play in the Big East all season, the Golden Eagles don't look too worn out or anything, unlike Syracuse.

Plus, most neutral fans should be rooting for Marquette to win the title just to see how head coach Buzz Williams celebrates.

In a game that seemed promising for the Colorado State Rams, the Murray State Racers dominated the second half, racing (no pun intended) to a 17-point win.

Now, the Racers had their detractors throughout the season, and analysts called them overrated because of a lack of competition. Even though 30-1 is no fluke, experts still said they weren't an elite team, just an average one that wouldn't make noise in the NCAA tourney.

Even after going 2-0 against the AP Top 25 in convincing fashion, Murray State still didn't get much love from the selection committee, becoming the first one-loss team seeded as low as sixth.

And what did they do? Rebound from a tough first half to wallop No. 11-seed Colorado State.

Murray State is no Cinderella. An Elite Eight appearance shouldn't shock many because Murray State has more than a fighting chance. They have a real opportunity to succeed. And that opportunity comes from guards Isaiah Canaan and Donte Poole.

Canaan was proclaimed one of the best guards in the country when he was named as a First-Team All-American due to his athleticism and ability to get to the hoop and shoot the three-pointer. Isaiah averaged over 19 points per game in the regular season while shooting an incredible 46.4 percent from three-point range.

There were also several instances where Canaan's ability to score—and score in the clutch—saved his team from defeat. In a double-overtime game against fellow Madness team Southern Mississippi in late November, Canaan scored 36 points and added eight rebounds in a 90-81 win. 

In losing just their second game of the year 72-68 to Tennessee State, Canaan kept the Racers in it the whole way, scoring 31 points and grabbing eight rebounds.

Canaan's backcourt mate, Donte Poole, is no pushover either.

In Murray State's win over the Rams in the Round of 64, Poole scored the Racers' first eight points to keep them from falling behind by double digits early on. He was the main reason Murray State wasn't finished midway through the first half, and his offensive outburst only added to his defensive value.

Poole held Rams star guard Wes Eikmeier to only 10 points on 4-of-12 (33 percent) shooting from the field, and only 1-of-5 (20 percent) from three-point range. Eikmeier averaged nearly 16 points per game and shot nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc before facing the daunting Poole.

Poole is averaging 14 points and two steals per game himself.

If Murray State wants to make a deep run and perhaps even reach the Final Four, they'll need these guys to play as well as ever.

They'll have to face a Marquette team featuring a formidable guard/small forward combo in Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder. Both are averaging over 17 points per game and are some of the best offensive players in the country. Poole and Canaan will be instrumental in winning that game, as they are in nearly every game.

However, that shouldn't be something Racers fans lose sleep over. Canaan and Poole have been very consistent, and are why I (and many others) have them making runs as far as the Elite Eight and beyond.

Isaiah Canaan is Murray State's best player, and he will do well in the NCAA Tournament.

Here are five tournament predictions for Canaan after his Racers defeated Colorado State, 58-41, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. 

Canaan Will Score at Least 20 Points in Remaining Tourney Games

Canaan is not only the Racers' best player, he is one of the best in the nation.

A finalist for the John Wooden Award and Bob Cousy Award, Canaan can have a good case to win it if he gets Murray State far in this tournament.

He is a great scorer who averages 19 points a game. Now, the Colorado State Golden Rams held Canaan to 15 points on 4-of-13 shooting, but Murray State needs Canaan to shoot better and score more against teams like Marquette in order to keep dancing.

Canaan Will Hit More Threes in the Following Games

Partly why Canaan was named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and is a finalist for a couple national awards rests on his three-point shooting.

Canaan was an impressive 47.3 percent (95-of-201) from beyond the arc, ranking fourth nationally in percentage and 11th in threes made per game (3.1).

The 6'0", 193-pound junior was 1-of-6 from three-point land against Colorado State, but should drill more threes in the following games.

Canaan Gets Three Steals in Second-Round Game

Canaan can get hot on the defensive end and steal in bunches. The crafty guard has five games this season where he has three or more steals.

The following game against Marquette/BYU will be the biggest of Canaan's career, so he will be driven to give it his all on both ends of the court.

Canaan Will Lead the Racers to the Sweet 16

Murray State will face most likely Marquette in the Round of 32, and he will lead the Racers to a thrilling upset to advance to the Sweet 16.

The Racers have made the NCAA Tournament 15 times and beat Vanderbilt 66-65 in the opening round. They also took eventual national runner-up Butler to the limit in a 54-52 loss the next game.

What Murray State brings is tenacious defense, allowing opponents to score less than 60 points 15 times this year.

A tough defense led by experienced players like Canaan can overcome a really talented Marquette squad.

Canaan Almost Leads Upset In Sweet 16

The Murray State Racers and Canaan are good, but will not do well against the No. 2 Missouri Tigers in the Sweet 16 game.  

The Tigers have five players who average double figures while scoring 80.3 points per game (sixth) and shooting 50.4 percent from the field (third). Senior guard Marcus Denmon leading the way with 17.6 points a game.  

Murray State averages 74.2 points per game (40th) and have the defense to keep it close, but Missouri just has too much fire power to lose.

Junior Isaiah Canaan is an undersized, score-first point guard from Murray State with a golden shooting touch and an incredible back story.

Largely due to the fact that his listing of 6' seems to be generous he has been nicknamed "Lil Sip." And he hasn't let small stature stop him from dominating college basketball. He led Murray State in scoring at 19.2 points a game, and after a 30-1 record, he and his Racers teammates are a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Canaan is one of the most deadly outside shooters on the planet. He shot 6.5 threes a game this season and drilled an amazing 47.3 percent of those attempts.

How good is Canaan at shooting? He is this good.

He hit that miraculous shot as a freshman and it didn't even phase him. I think he would have been upset with himself had he not made it.

Canaan will be poised and ready to keep that shooting stroke going in the tournament. After all, this is not his first rodeo. Murray State was in the tournament as a No. 13 seed his freshman season.

That year, he was the Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year and the conference tournament MVP. He followed that up by scoring 18 points in his first NCAA Tournament game leading his team to an upset of Vanderbilt. 

They then lost their next game, by two, to Butler, and had to watch the Bulldogs take their "Cinderella slipper" and march to the Final Four. 

ESPN's Diamond Leung offered up this quote from Canaan on how Canaan has handled that tough loss. 

I watched that game over and over and over. I can tell it to you front to backwards, backwards to front. That's how much it pushed me to want to get better so that if I get in that moment again, I'll know what to do with it, and we'll come out with the victory.

While it makes for a good story that is not what truly sets Canaan apart. 

When he was in middle school, as Leung documents, he found himself stuck on the second story of a church next to his beloved grandmother—who couldn't swim—as the rising floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina kept climbing.  

Leung shared this reflection on the moment by Canaan. 

I saw my life flash right there. I was living or I wasn't. I've seen the worst it could get, and now I'm trying to see how good it can get.

The water stopped rising before it reached the frighten pair, but after it destroyed his grandmother's home.  

After the tragedy, Canaan spent time living in a church that he used to attend to sing in the choir. He then lived in the Atlanta area with his mother for a couple of months, but returned to help his grandmother rebuild. Keep in mind, he was still in middle school at this point.  

During all of this he used basketball as a distraction, and quickly began to dominate. While in high school he won a state championship and was a finalist for the Mr. Basketball award. 

He drew attention from some SEC schools, but opted for the smaller Murray State and hasn't looked back since. 

The Shakedown

The Ohio Valley Conference tournament is one that people with definitely want to keep on eye on. Last year Morehead State took the automatic bid by winning the conference tournament and went on to defeat Louisville in the first round of the NCAA tournament. This year, the Ohio Valley boasts one college basketball's best stories, the Murray State Racers. With Murray State being a lock, this conference could get two bids if someone is up to the challenge to knock of the Racers in the conference tournament. Who could that team be? Let's take a look!

The Breakdown

1. Murray State 28-1 (15-1 Ohio Valley)

If you have followed college basketball this year, you know a thing or two about the Murray State Racers. They started off a season's best 23-0 before dropping a game to Tennessee State. The Racers also played in critical bracket buster game last week in which they knocked off No.16 St Mary's in convincing fashion. Despite the Racers dominance during the regular season, this will still be a great tournament to watch. Murray State has seven conference games decided by single digits which means they will be challenged in the tournament. 

2. Tennessee State 19-11 (11-5 Ohio Valley)

Tennessee State earned the second seed in the OVC. A very strong 2011-12 campaign has the Tigers sitting in great shape as they will have a two-round bye. Tennessee State appears to be the top contender of Murray State. The Tigers knocked off the Racers 72-68 on February 7. Tennessee State has won 11 of its past 13 games and looks to junior forward Robert Covington (18.1 ppg) to take it deep into the conference tournament. While there are no guarantees in conference tournaments, I would love to see a Tennessee State vs Murray State rematch for the title.

3. Morehead State 17-14 (10-6 Ohio Valley)

Morehead State also comes into the Ohio Valley tournament on a roll. Morehead has won five out of its last six conference games. The Eagles were a top story in last year's NCAA tournament as they knocked off the fourth seed Louisville Cardinals before losing to Richmond in the round of 32. Morehead benefited from only having to play Murray State (lost by six) and Tennessee State (lost by five) once this season. It has proved over the course of those two games that it is ready to compete with anyone in the conference. I like Morehead going far in the conference tournament but am interested to see if it can win three games in three days.

4. Tennessee Tech 18-12 (9-7 Ohio Valley)

Tennessee Tech is the fourth seed for the Ohio Valley Conference tournament. The Golden Eagles have also been plagued by inconsistency throughout the season. They knocked off Tennessee State and Morehead State in January but recently got blasted against Eastern Illinois, a team that failed to qualify for the conference tournament. Depending on which team shows up to play, Tech could win a game or two in the conference tournament but will struggle to win four games in a row.

5. Southeast Missouri State 14-15 (9-7 Ohio Valley)

Southeast Missouri State is in free fall mode. Just two weeks ago the Redhawks were third in the conference and challenging for the double bye. Just two weeks later, they are loses of four straight and six of their last eight. The Redhawks face off with Eastern Kentucky in the first round, a team that beat them earlier this season. With the down hill trend and a tough first round opponent, I don't think Southeast Missouri State will be playing in March.

6. Austin Peay 12-19 (8-8 Ohio Valley)

Austin Peay could summarize its season as a season of streaks. The Governors grabbed the sixth seed in the Ohio Valley tournament but is a real threat to do some damage. Austin Peay lost its first nine games of the season before going on a three game win streak. After the win streak, it lost four in a row and followed that up with another four game win streak. After trading wins and losses in its next two, it lost five straight, followed by three more wins. The good news for the Governors is that they are currently on that three game win streak, its just a matter of how far they can extend it.

7. Jacksonville State 14-17 (8-8 Ohio Valley)

Jacksonville State sneaked into the Ohio Valley tournament with an 8-8 league record. Having won four of their last five, the Gamecocks went from being on the outside looking in, to the seventh seed in the tournament. Since January 19, the Gamecocks are 8-3 and are playing some of their best basketball of the season. Their first round game against Austin Peay could be a thriller as these two teams both look to carry their current momentum into March.

8. Eastern Kentucky 16-15 (7-9 Ohio Valley)

Eastern Kentucky grabbed the last bid in the conference tournament. The Colonels are a long shot in the OVC, but are just as capable as any of these teams of winning a few games. They may be the last team in, but I wouldn't be shocked if they were the last team standing. The Colonels get a good draw in Southeast Missouri State for their first round game before having to play Tennessee Tech, a team that beat them twice this season. I'm not sure what it is, but my gut says look out for the Governors.

9. SIU-Edwardsville 9-17 (6-10 Ohio Valley)

* Did not qualify for Ohio Valley Conference Tournament

10. Eastern Illinois 12-17 (5-11 Ohio Valley)

* Did not qualify for Ohio Valley Conference Tournament

11. Tennessee Martin 4-27 (0-16 Ohio Valley)

* Did not qualify for Ohio Valley Conference Tournament

The Takedown

Here is how I see the OVC tournament playing out.

First Round

No. 8 Eastern Kentucky over No. 5 Southeast Missouri

No. 7 Jacksonville State over No. 6 Austin Peay

Second Round

No.8 Eastern Kentucky over No. 4 Tennessee Tech

No. 3 Morehead State over No. 7 Jacksonville State

Semi-Finals

No. 1 Murray State over No. 8 Eastern Kentucky

No. 2 Tennessee State over No. 3 Morehead State

Championship

No. 1 Murray State over No. 2 Tennessee State

Champion: Murray State Racers (30-1 4 Seed in NCAA Tournament)

The Final Buzzer

I am very interested to see how the double bye effects a lot of the conferences that are choosing to use them. However, in the OVC, I don't see it being too much of an issue as I believe we will get the rematch of Tennessee State and Murray State. It's also important for you fans of the bubble teams, as a Tennessee State win would most certainly take away an at large from a bigger conference team. This tournament is one that people need to keep their eye (Texas, Northwestern, Miami and USF) on in hopes that Murray State takes the only bid in the Ohio Valley Conference.

While Murray State's first loss of the entire season is getting the most play nationally, two other potential mid-major tournament teams suffered their first conference losses in the past week.

St. Mary's dropped a game that could easily be expected, when one shares its conference with a heavyweight rival. Their 73-59 loss to Gonzaga is far from a resume-killer, considering the Bulldogs' own strong national profile and the Gaels' 20-point win last month. St. Mary's still holds a game-and-a-half lead over the Zags in the West Coast Conference, and of their remaining league opponents, only Loyola Marymount has a winning conference record. 

The psychology of this rivalry, however, is what makes it fascinating. Gonzaga has owned the West Coast Conference lock, stock and barrel for over a decade, winning 11 of the last 14 regular-season titles outright and splitting two more, including with SMC last season.

The Gaels are fighting out from under a long history of being under Big Brother's thumb. Still, the hostile atmosphere in a place like the Kennel can make even the toughest veteran teams buckle at the knees.

Some of the students who camped out for two days admitted that there was a desperation in the air Thursday night. The Bulldogs had won 24 of 27 meetings since 1999, and the January loss was a gut punch to the West Coast dynasty. The players played with an aggression borne of similar fury, aiming to ensure that their title wouldn't be taken away without a fight.

Saint Mary's sophomore guard Stephen Holt—who recorded 13 points, six rebounds and five assists in Round One—was held scoreless on only four shot attempts. Junior point guard Matthew Dellavedova scored 20, but was held to a 3-3 assist to turnover ratio, far below the 6-1 that he carded last month.

Gonzaga was fighting to ensure what they felt was rightfully theirs.

Last Saturday, the Denver Pioneers faced a stiff battle for whatever acclaim they could earn.

Middle Tennessee State's gaudy 21-3 record and 10-0 mark in the Sun Belt garnered the Blue Raiders some Top 25 votes and made their trip to Denver a magnet for ESPN2's national coverage, as if it hadn't already been eventful enough.

MTSU hadn't been seriously tested in the Sun Belt, with only two of those first 10 wins coming by a single-digit margin. Only two opponents all season had shot better than 50 percent from the floor against Middle, and one of those was Vanderbilt. Additionally, Vandy was the only Blue Raider opponent to commit fewer than 12 turnovers against Middle's stifling defense.

Denver added its name to both of those columns last Saturday.

I spoke to MTSU coach Kermit Davis on my radio show Wednesday night and posed a question about whether or not the team may have overlooked Denver after a tough Thursday battle with potential NBA lottery pick Tony Mitchell and North Texas. His response contained the phrase, "You must not follow our team very closely."

Leaving that aside, those of us who do follow college basketball closely are well aware of the dangers of 18-to-22-year-olds who are told they're having great seasons. Swagger can be corrosive as well as addictive, and adversity can cause difficult side effects. Like the Kennel, Denver's Magness Arena was a boiling cauldron of energy, stirred by students and other fans who had never had national TV cameras in the house. The Blue Raiders wilted, losing 75-60, then came home to stew for four days.

After the thorough dismantling by Denver, Middle came out Thursday night and pressed through the first half against a young Western Kentucky team that's already seen its coach fired. The Raiders shot 28.9 percent in the first half, prompting Davis to say after the game, "We played selfishly in the first half. We hadn’t done that in a while. At one time out, I asked ‘Has everybody got a shot up now? Is everybody good now?’ It was like everybody was trying to get a shot off."

Middle's margin for error is dwindling, an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament now a difficult proposition. This tournament-championship-or-bust pressure will only continue to escalate with every win, for the players as well as Davis, who is entering uncharted territory. He hasn't had a season like this since 1994, when his Chipola Junior College team went 27-5. It's safe to say that none of those games were televised by ESPN.

The motivation of Denver to knock off the league bully and the desire of Gonzaga to maintain their conference stranglehold may pale, however, in comparison to the heat that has swirled around Murray State during their 23-game unbeaten run. Every Ohio Valley Conference opponent knew that their dates with the Racers would be accompanied by national scrutiny and possible TV coverage.

The kicker to Murray State's loss was that it came at home, a rare condition for the nation's final unbeaten team. Only three of the last 10 final unbeatens took their first loss on their own court.

Murray State coach Steve Prohm acknowledged the pressure of being the 800-pound gorilla after the loss, saying, "You don’t know, but it had been stressful that every single night, everyone expects you to win at Tennessee-Martin by 30." That stress is all that an inflated No. 7 ranking brings.

MSU's Jewaun Long admitted that he felt like the Racers had "let a lot of people down in life" after allowing the unbeaten streak to come to an end.

Long's teammate Ivan Aska had a different approach, saying “In a way, (I’m) glad we lost ahead of time than way in the tournament or somewhere.” Therein lies Murray's dilemma.

Going into the OVC Tournament unbeaten would have helped their at-large chances in the event of a stumble, especially since that would have involved a win over Saint Mary's in a BracketBusters game on February 18.

Now, the Racers have to take a blemished record on road trips to Southeast Missouri and Tennessee Tech, both of which played them within eight points on their home court, plus a return engagement with their conquerors, Tennessee State. 

No one else in the OVC is ranked in the top 150 on ESPN's InsideRPI, and another league loss would hurt more than non-league wins over Southern Miss, Dayton, and Memphis that may help.

Unless they pull a win over Saint Mary's, Murray State has a series of games that can do more harm than good to their resume going forward. Another league loss and a failure to win the OVC Tournament could lead to a lot of additional stress on the Racers come Selection Sunday.

Saint Mary's can at least move forward secure in the knowledge that only a truly epic collapse can keep them out of the Big Dance. Middle Tennessee and Murray State have no such luxury, needing to keep the pedal to the floor and knock out all opposition, rather than take the decision to the Selection Committee's scorecards.

Scott Henry covers all the sports fit to discuss on his radio show 4 Quarters. Follow the show on Facebook and Twitter.

Also, read his thoughts on college basketball at The Back Iron and sports in general at Starr*Rated.

This is the first edition of a new daily blog I am starting, called The Morning After. Read these posts every morning to get a complete run down of all the sports action from last night, and a preview for what to look for that day in sports. Every post will also award player of the night honors.

Game of the Night

Murray State's perfect season was just not meant to be.

The Racers fell to Tennessee State last night, and with the loss their record dropped to 23-1. It looked like Murray State would pull away when they went up by 13 midway through the second half, but the Tigers kept clawing their way back. Three critical turnovers in the game's final 10 seconds ultimately cost Murray State the chance to get a shot to take the lead. The Racers will be back at it Saturday night against Austin Peay, but their chance at perfection is over.

In Other Action

No. 22 Wisconsin held off a late rally by Minnesota and defeated the Golden Gophers 68-61 in overtime. The Badgers now pull to 1.5 games out of first place in the Big Ten.

Saint Mary's suffered their first loss in WCC play, as the Gonzaga Bulldogs got a huge 73-59 win over the No. 13 team in the country. No. 23 Indiana defeated Illinois 84-71, behind a dominating second half performance. The Illini are now 5-6 in Big Ten play, and Bruce Weber may be sitting on the hot seat.

The NBA featured a light schedule last night, but it did not disappointment. The Lakers defeated the Celtics 88-87 on the road in overtime. Boston missed chances to win the game on buzzer beaters in the fourth quarter and overtime. The Kings stunned the Thunder at home with a 106-101 win, late last night. Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins both had big games to help lead the Kings to victory.

Thursday was a very busy night in the hockey world, with a full slate of NHL action. The Winnipeg Jets rallied back to stun the Washington Capitals last night. Evander Kane scored a goal with 2:15 to go in the third period, and then Dustin Byfuglien tied things up with a goal 12 seconds later. The Jets then went on to win 3-2 in a shootout.

The Rangers and Lightning also found themselves in overtime last night, but former Lightning star Brad Richards ended the game with an overtime goal and gave the Rangers a 4-3 win. Other close games included a 2-1 overtime win for the Coyotes over the Flames, a 4-3 win for the Flyers over the Maple Leafs and a 4-3 win for the Senators over the Predators.

Did Tiger Woods turn the corner yesterday at Pebble Beach? Woods fired a round of 4-under 68 yesterday, and put himself in good position to make a strong run this weekend. Charlie Wi, Danny Lee and Dustin Johnson are all tied for the lead as second round action starts. All three players shot 9-under 61 for the first round.

Stat of the Night

24-0. The moral of this stat? Don't let the St. Louis Blues score three or more goals against you.

The Blues got a 4-3 shootout victory over the New Jersey Devils last night, and now have a record of 24-0 in games where they score at least three goals. Blues center Patrik Berglund scored the tying goal late in the third period last night, and the Blues went on the win the game in the shootout.

Player of the Night

Max Pacioretty wins the first player of the night award. Pacioretty had a hat trick in the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 win over the New York Islanders last night. Pacioretty now has 22 goals on the season, and it was the first hat trick of his career.

Previewing Tonight

Jeremy Lin will be all over Sportscenter tonight. Lin has been tearing it up for the New York Knicks over the last three games. Lin-sanity is all the rage in New York right now. Tonight the Knicks battle the Lakers in the first game of an ESPN Friday night double-header. Thunder vs Jazz follows that game. 24 teams in total will be in action tonight.

The No. 1 team in the NHL is at it again tonight. The Red Wings will try to increase their lead in the NHL standings when they take on the Anaheim Ducks tonight at Joe Louis Arena. After that the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks will square off in what should be an extremely entertaining game.

If you have not had a chance to see Harvard play yet this year, here is your chance. The No. 21 Crimson are the only team in the Top 25 of college hoops that is in action tonight. The 20-2 Crimson square off with Pennsylvania tonight.

Lastly, Tiger Tracker is in effect. Woods, along with the rest of the PGA field, tee off in the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am today. It will be interesting to see if Tiger can continue his success from yesterday and continue to stay near the top of the leaderboard.

Thanks for reading.