March Madness: Heroes of the opening weekend

After an uneventful start to March Madness the action really kicked off with UNC-Asheville vs. Syracuse and continued with a wild second day of games. Every March certain guys thrive and provide us with performances we will never forget, even if they come in losing efforts, a la Ben Woodside circa 2009. If you love sports then the opening weekend of March Madness is most likely your favorite time of the year. I myself am a much bigger NBA fan than I am of NCAA hoops but I still can't help but get overwhelmed with joy when the ides of March nears. In addition to being a big time basketball fan, I am a sucker for watching athletes put their heart and soul on the floor, and there is no better stage to watch raw emotions emanate than during the madness. No matter how many times I watch a senior put their jersey on for the very last time I will always be heartbroken as I watch them crumble to the floor when the magic runs out, and this is the single greatest thing about it all. Here are some guys that have provided us with some unforgettable performances to kick off the tournament.

Early Season Stock Watch

In honor of Dick Vitale and college basketball being superior to the NBA, here is my early season stock up and stock down.

Stock up:

Missouri- Missouri has rolled through early season competition with an athletic team featuring an extremely up-tempo offense.  Marcus Denmon and Kim English make up one of the most dynamic backcourts in the country, combining for 40 a game.  The Tigers rank 6^th nationally in points scored, 14^th in assists, and 7^th in field goal percentage.  Missouri and Baylor, another team off to a hot start, have made perennial powerhouse Kansas look like the third best team in a conference it historically dominates.