Upsets, we got upsets

 So remember the other day, when people were talking up the Big Ten and had as many as three Big Ten teams in their Final Four brackets, and Ohio State was one of them, and other people thought Purdue might be a crafty pick, too, as a 4-seed?

Good times, man. Goood times.

Because then the games started and 2-seed Ohio State was playing 15-seed Oral Roberts in Mackey Arena, and HEY, WHERE DID THIS KEVIN OBANOR GUY COME FROM, AND WHY IS HE BEATING US?

And then last night came and 4-seed Purdue was in against 13-seed North Texas -- not the big Texas, mind you, but freaking North Texas -- and OMIGOD WE JUST LOST TO A DIRECTIONAL SCHOOL THAT HAD NEVER WON AN NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME IN ITS HISTORY!

Bad times, man. Baaaad times.

But here we have to thank Purdue and Ohio State and also Michigan State (which is outta here, too, already) and really the Big Ten generally, because its disdain for chalk made the first day of Da Tournament what the first day is supposed to be.

Which is: Bunch of folks sitting in front of a bank of TVs, ordering another beer and some more wings while they shout stuff like "What the hell, Ohio State?" and "For God's sake, Purdue!" After which much griping about vaporized brackets will ensue.

It's the best thing about all this Madness. 

Folks in Columbus and West Lafayette will not agree, of course, in the immediate aftermath of the inexplicable. How does Duane Washington Jr. miss that pull-up three at the end of regulation, and then shoot one last three-ball crooked just before the final horn in overtime?  

And Purdue?

How do the Boilers let a guy named Hamlet light 'em up? How do they sleepwalk through most of the game before gasping their way into overtime? And how do they then miss their first nine shots and go 4 1/2 of the five minutes scoreless? 

Of such mysteries are memorable Da Tournaments made.

Columbus and West Lafayette aside, see, yesterday was a great day for the unattached observer. No one wants to see straight chalk in the round of 64. Chalk is boring. Chalk makes you change the channel to The Big Bang Theory reruns. Chalk is for drawing unflattering pictures of Miss McGrumplestein on the board when her back is turned.

 Thank heavens we didn't get that yesterday.

Instead, a 15 beat a 2 and a 13 beat a 4, and there was the requisite 12-over-5 (thanks, Oregon State!). Wisconsin delivered an epic 9-over-8 when the Badgers beat the powder blue out of North Carolina by 23. Lower-seeded teams won six games, including 11-seed Syracuse ball-peening 6-seed San Diego State by 16. 

Brackets all over America were ash, by the end of Friday. We're only halfway through the round of 64 and the Big Ten has already lost three teams, proving once again that in March it often transforms into the Smaller Ten. 

Shoot. Even Indiana fans had something to cheer about Friday, which they needed after Brad Stevens all but picked up a megaphone to announce DAMMIT I'M NOT COMING TO BLOOMINGTON.

See, even though the Hoosiers again missed the Madness, they won exactly as many tournament games as Purdue did.

Something for everybody.