March never cooperates.
It doesn't know how to.
So it only made sense that chaotic events were unfolding in Spokane, Washington, on Sunday morning around midnight Eastern Time, as the third month of 2015 arrived on the East Coast.
It capped a day that was a preview of the approaching chaos.
Two weeks ago, Dave Rose signed a five-year extension with BYU. He'd earned it. But his Cougars were tumbling in the WCC then, and by late February they were desperate. To have a shot at breaking into the NCAA tournament, bracketologists believed BYU would need a victory at Gonzaga on Saturday night.
And we all could use a million bucks, too. Doesn't mean we'll get it.
But that's exactly what BYU did. It hit the lottery.
The Cougars went to Spokane and earned a 73-70 victory over Gonzaga, a win that snapped the Bulldogs' nation-leading, 41-game home-winning streak and probably shook up the top seed line of the NCAA tournament field. But the Zags had chances.
Tyler Haws, an 89 percent free throw shooter, missed a pair of free throws in the final seconds. Kyle Wiltjer's heave from 70 feet nearly found the rim. It had to end that way.
ESPN's Joe Lunardi's latest bracketology report slides Villanova, which defeated Xavier 78-66 on the road, into the No. 1-seed slot in the West Region -- and moves Gonzaga down to a No. 2 seed in the South Region. BYU is mentioned in his “First Four Out” category.
Gonzaga-BYU wasn't the only drama affiliated with the Beehive State on Saturday.
What will happen with Arizona's seeding now that Sean Miller's seventh-ranked squad has secured a sweep of Utah and won a share of the Pac-12 title? The Wildcats pulled off the feat because in the final minutes of their 63-57 win over the Utes, Miller put the team above one player.
Stanley Johnson (3-for-19, zero assists) had been all about Stanley Johnson most of the night. He'd forced shots and committed a silly offensive foul. And in the closing stretch of a title fight, he'd failed to close out when Brandon Taylor hit a 3-pointer that gave Utah a 57-55 lead with 1:57 to go.
Miller berated Johnson and then he benched him. And instead of cheering for his teammates and pumping his fists for the guys on the floor, Johnson acted like a freshman and pouted. At least that's what the cameras caught. And perception is based on what the cameras catch.
Miller made the right move. Johnson might be the best player in the Pac-12 and an All-American, but he lost his chance to help the Wildcats when he missed a crucial defensive assignment.
Miller won without him late, and he also delivered a message to a gifted young man who owed his teammates a greater effort in the final minutes:
Only teams will survive the madness. Only teams will make Final Four runs. Only one team will stand atop a podium at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 6.
And is there any doubt right now that the Kentucky Wildcats will be that team?
On Saturday, Floyd Mayweather Jr. had finally met the SEC's Manny Pacquiao, it seemed. Arkansas has a lottery pick named Bobby Portis. The No. 18 Razorbacks also have size and athleticism, the stuff that's apparently required to challenge John Calipari's Colossus. Plus, Arkansas swept Kentucky last year, and the key players from that team had returned.
The final result?
The Razorbacks scored 41 points in the second half and still lost by 17.
Kentucky is on a different level; that's been clear all year. But they're getting better.
Andrew Harrison (18 points, 8-for-8 from the free throw line) is a trustworthy leader and point guard. Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis (24 points combined, 8-for-16) are the best backup-guard combination in the country.
How do you get to the rim against Kentucky? How do you limit its offense? The Arkansas-Kentucky affair had the pregame makings of a game that would provide those answers. Instead, it spawned another question: Will any team come close to beating Kentucky in the NCAA tournament?
None should.
But it's March, so you never know.
Duke and Virginia are both tearing through the ACC. Perry Ellis will soon lead Kansas to its 11th consecutive Big 12 championship. He finished with 28 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks as the Jayhawks topped Texas without Cliff Alexander, who missed Saturday's game due to an issue that could affect his eligibility. And Arizona looked like a contender during one of the most significant wins of the day.
Searching for sleepers? Well, this Wichita State team is a Missouri Valley Conference champion again after a win over Northern Iowa. Dayton, which has faced as much drama as any team in the country, beat VCU on the road.
It's clear that we'll have some variety in the Big Dance. And like on Saturday, the things that seem certain will fool us again.
It's never wise to trust March. But if it's anything like Saturday's slate, you'll learn love it.