Slightly delayed due to techincal difficulties - CBS isn't the only folks capable of screwing up, but I've got the job of liveblogging the afternoon games:

5. Tennessee vs 12. Long Beach State
   
6. Notre Dame vs. 11. Winthrop
   
2. Wisconsin vs. 15. Texas A&M Corpus Christi
   
7. Nevada vs. 10. Creighton
   

12:00 pm PDT Of course, being Southern California, we get the Long Beach State game, just as Tennessee gets four straight points from steals.

12:01 Why does CBS have blimp coverage of basketball games? "And now, a roof!"

12:02 LB State is trying to outrun the Volunteers, play some of the most uptempo ball in the country. I question the wisdom of this strategy.

12:04 And with the score all of a sudden 31 to 14, I think other people might, as well.

12:07 And we switch to the Notre Dame-Winthrop game, just in time to hear Mike Brey's quote, "It's like we're playing a Big East team." I eventually figure out that's meant as a measure of respect, but "respect" and "Big East team" is not something an ACC fan is used to equivalating with one another.

12:12 Thinking back on the morning games, it's good to see that the three of the ACC teams I was muost worried about coming out flat - Maryland, BC, and Virginia, all won, and the Cavaliers handily enough to justify their seed. It's good to see the conference live up to it's billing. And even better with Duke losing.

12:14 Winthrop can shoot the ball (0.548 eFG%) but have wilted in their four losses to good defenses - UNC, Maryland, Wisconsin and Texas A&M. They're holding strong against Notre Dame, though.

12:21 Long Beach State is getting better at beating the Vol press, but are having to foul too often on the defensive end. With five minutes to go in the first it's 41-35, though, and this will easily be the highest scoring game of the first round.

12:24 Meanwhile in the comments, Peter's getting the much more interesting Wisconsin - Texas A&M&C&C Music Factory game, in fact:

Wisconsin's defense has been solid all year, but you never know how losing an interior defender like Brian Butch is going to effect that.

12:28 LB State is beginning to work Tennessee's half court offense, with a hot three-point shooting hand and some good work inside. They're running a more reasonable pace and it's working, 52-41 Tennessee.

12:32 The little box in the corner says 17-4 Texas-Alphabet Soup. Tennessee is still getting too many easy steals, 57-45. Hopefully CBS will switch at the half.

12:36 CBS has convinced me that yes, my teenaged daughter is selling her virginity online. And I wasn't ever aware I had a teenaged daughter before the tournament started.

12:38 And we get sent to the Badger Beating, just in time to see what looked like Wisconsin's first fast break of the season. At least is was exectuted poorly enough to be their first.

12:40 Wisconsin can't shoot. Texas Yadda Yadda needs too stop trying to lob it in over the Wisconsin defense.

12:43 Texas ABC can definitely shoot, and have a depth I'd never expect to see - they play nine players double-digit minutes, and 14 double-digit games. My only concern is that they shoot the three rarely, but with a big lead they won't have to.

12:47 Do the Irish not have much of an otside shot? Because they pushed it inside for an ill-advised shot from a ND ig man with what looked like four Winthrop players on him. 12:56 25-9 - the current deficit the Badgers are staring at - is one TV timeout of lapsed play for a team like Carolina, but may be an insurmoutable lead for Texas Ampersand. After all, Wisconsin's only cracked 60 in three of their last six games.

1:00 Texas A&M just had a player slip on the floor sticker - after a pass, so there was no injury or turnover. What logo at the United Center needs to be covered up anyway? The floor has the Big Ten logo on it, so it's not the Bulls' floor. (TXAM-CC is in a five minute scoring drought. In that time, the Badgers are on a 6-0 run. Five minutes, people.)

Yes, that last shot by Winthrop in particular was a horrible decision.

1:10Winthrop's free throw percentage on the year is 63.2% - 313th in the country. Unsurprisingly, they're 2-8 from the line, and the Irish are playing Hack-a-Eagle. 56-52 Winthrop.

1:12 "Winthrop can't make free throws consistently right now." I don't what you'd call their perfromance from the line, but it's incredibly consistent. 57-54 Eagles.

1:15 Even when everything else is going wrong, Winthrop can pass the ball inside likenobody's business. All of their buckets now are coming off of great assists.

1:19 CBS is stuck on a graphic showing the Winthrop and Tennessee logos [sic]. I think my 10+ year-old TV has achieved sentinence and is trying to enter my pool.

1:21 Notre Dame takes the lead 63-62 and gets a foul. Winthrop looks gobsmacked, but keeps gettin gopen layups. 64-63 Winthrop.

1:22 67-33 with 1:11 to play after a Winthrop free. Notre Dame sends Jackson to the line, where he goes 1-2. And the announcers take this time to make a Tito Jackson joke. 67-64.

1:24 Very late blocking foul on Notre Dame. Of course Winthrop's foul shooting woes continue - 1 for 2, four point game.

1:25 Two poor shots from Notre Dame, which Winthrop pushes the other way for a dunk, and the second time a foul, 71-64 Winthrop after the first free throw. The Eagles really poured it on after losing the lead.

Not to steal the thunder from Card Chronicle, but I think you'll have to get behind Louisville in the Pronunciation Grievance Line

1:30 Winthrop ended the game on a 12-1 run. Somebody may want to check on Rakes of Mallow. 1:33 A weird confluence of events. A Texas A&I've Run Out of Jokes twists his ankle, tries to run it off (!) only to be saved by a Badger foul and quick technical (!!) for mouthing off to the official. TXAM-CC has the ball and a 35-26 lead.

1:36 And why do I think this game will end up with a lower score than Tennessee's halftime total?

1:43Wisconsin has gotten hot from the outside. It almost looks like they're trying to push the ball up the court, but TXAM-CC is getting back too quickly. They're not getting out on the Badger's three point shots. 42-38 Texas, etc. with 12 minutes to go.

1:55 How do you get a breakaway steal and still get beat down the court by three Corpi Christis? It's a good thing Wisconsin can drain the three, as they've tied the game at 47.

2:00 Texas, Bath and Beyond wass killing themselves with poor free throw shooting, but Daniels just hit two, and then they get the turnover with the press. But as long is the Badgers keep up the long range barrage, the upset will be difficult. 52-50 Wisconsin.

2:03 Anyone have an update on Nevada-Creighton?

2:09 Nevada has spent the last two minutes missing shots, and capitalizing on Creighton's inability to get a rebound. There's now thirty-six seconds left and the ball has been on the same side of the court for last minute and a half.

2:12 And Nevada throws it away with twenty seconds left after a daring Creighton trap!

2:12:30 Funk takes a horrible shot in the lane. Nevada has the ball, a tie score, and 1.4 seconds.

2:15 Two timeouts obviously didn't help the play calling. Overtime.

2:25 I just can't get into the nailbiting Nevada-Creighton (68-64 Nevada, in overtime). I keep thinking Texas A&M-CC is faltering without my attention. The box in the corner is telling me Wisconsin is up 10.

2:30 I really hope that's the Creighton pep band playing "We've Got the Funk."

2:32 Nevada is making their free throws, and Creighton took too long getting a two in response. 76-71 with eleven seconds to play.

2:33 And with under a minute to go, Card Chronicle's beard is safe. Unless it's all a ploy to get indie girls. 2:34 Nevada 77, Creighton 71. Wisconsin 76, Texas A&M Corpus Chirsti 63. You're no fun, upper seeds.

2:41 Unless Bob Barker is the Ducks' new power forward, I believe my local affiliate is eschewing basketball for The Price Is Right. So I'm going to kick everything over to Addicted to Quack for the evening session a little early. Thatnks to everyone for helping out - I'm off in search of beer.