… and it all begins tonight. There had better be some BON’er butts in Gregory seats tonight or there will be PHF hell to pay tomorrow.

3:00 PM Indiana v. (6) USC in Dayton PHF predicts a Trojan sweep
5:00 PM (16) Purdue v.(1) Florida PHF predicts the Gators in 4
6:00 PM Oklahoma at (4) Penn State PHF predicts a PSU sweep
7:00 PM (10) Minnesota v. (7) California at UW PHF predicts a Cal sweep
4:00 PM Missouri v. (12) Duke at PSU PHF picks the Tigers in another upset
5:00 PM Ohio State “hosts” (3) Stanford in Dayton PHF predicts a Cardinal sweep
7:00 PM (9) Texas hosts (8) Illinois PHF picks Gazelles revenge in 4
9:00 PM Washington hosts (2) Nebraska PHF picks UW in the upset

In a truly bizarre post-season, there are really only two matches of any interest besides the Gazelles’ rematch with the Illini: Huskies v. Huskers in a rematch of two giants that played for the National Championship just a couple of years ago (UW won) and Florida v. Purdue, which precedes the Gazelles’ match. An unusual number of unseeded teams made it through to the “super regional” round, which I’ve predicted will result in an unusual number of sweeps in the Sweet 16 this year.

I am still picking the Gazelles to the Final Four again this year, despite the fact they will have to beat two seeded teams who beat them earlier this season. As Tempest has said, Illinois is not the team they were at the beginning of the season (injuries) and Texas is certainly better now than when we lost to the Illini and Gators in September. We also have the benefit of a very challenging Big XII conference season, while the Gators waltzed through the SEC barely breaking a sweat. And if we get a house full of rowdy fans in Burnt Orange tonight (I’m not expecting many to be wearing the truly ugly versions of orange that Florida and Illinois use) all the better.

Great stuff from texassports.com

A couple of very shaky games, but in the end our athleticism and our home court advantage (3700 fans!!) proved to be too much as Texas prevailed 19-25, 26-24, 18-25, 25-14, 15-11.

With Purdue’s upset of top-ranked Florida it would seem Texas has a clear path to yet another Final Four, but let’s not count our chickens. I’ll enjoy this win, and look forward to another challenging match.

In other matches, as I predicted Washington upset #2 Nebraska, Cal swept Minnesota and Penn State swept the Sooners. Stanford lost a set but still advanced.

So for tonight’s matches:

8:00 PM (9) Texas hosts (16) Purdue PHF picks Gazelles revenge in 4
5:30 PM Duke at (4) Penn State PHF predicts another PSU sweep
3:00 PM (3) Stanford v. (6) USC in Dayton PHF picks Cardinal in 5
10:30 PM Washington hosts (7) Cal PHF picks Cal in 4

… after the post-match handshake with Nebraska coach John Cook.

McLaughlin had to be restrained by several UW officials and at least one police officer while he tried to go after the Cornhuskers coach. Nebraska’s John Cook said something to McLaughlin during the post-match handshake, and the scene that followed tarnished an evening that should have been all about celebration.

"Apparently, he was upset about something I said," Cook told reporters while folding his arms and showing no sign of remorse. "I said: ‘Great match. That ball was in.’ And about 500 people from Washington confirmed it as I walked out; they said it was in."

Write up of the matches from all four regionals.

Elliott credits the fans with being the difference in the match.

“They were a big part of the win tonight,” Elliott said. “They gave us that extra energy when we were down. I’m just so proud that we are Texas.”

Match Recap

I know Tempest was there. Anyone else?

For two years, the University of Texas volleyball team has seen its season end with an overwhelming feeling that they left a win on the court. On Friday night, the Longhorns got one of those wins back.

n 2008, Texas had a 2-0 lead on Stanford in the Final Four but lost. Last year, Texas was up 2-1 on Penn State in the final and lost. The Longhorns didn’t play their best Friday but gutted that one out.

Statesman