Like the hole in daddy’s arm where all the money goes, my Basketball Jones needs to be fed.
Thus I found myself Friday evening, still more than a week and a nation full of conference tournaments away from Selection Sunday, surfing hither and yon for a fix.
During which fixation, I happened upon Little Ricky’s Golden Gophers, finishing their less than scintillating regular campaign with a clunk in College Park. And who should be manning the pivot but none other than Matz Stockman in his umpteenth year of mostly pine time in the States.
Unless I again happen upon almost-but-not-quite-on-the-bubble Minnesota in some Wednesday afternoon B10 tourney afterthought, my last vision of Matz, a U of L Cardinal until cast off by Rick the Elder like a scuffed pair of tassel loafers, was of him missing a point blank layup against the Terps. But let’s give credit where it’s due. Earlier in the week, he had a career game — such as it was — against Purdue’s similarly oversized foreigner Matt Haarms.
Everybody who told me back when that Matz would be a significant force for the Cards by his junior or at least senior year, The Rick’s next Nazr Mohammed, raise your hands.
Uh, yoo hoo, where all y’all be?
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Unless you’re a fan of, say, Texas or IU, a couple of multi-loss schools still considered Dance possibilities, you want to be rooting for Murray State in Saturday night’s OVC Tourney final.
Ja Morant — he balled in AAU with Zion Whatsisname, you know — is, as you might have heard, the Real Deal.
Against Jacksonville State in the semi-final, Morant went for 29 on a seriously efficient 9/14 shooting, grabbed 6 caroms and dished out 8 assists. Plus, when the Racers needed a score on their last possession to prevail and keep alive their NCAA hopes, Ja ruled.
Despite their many Ws, Murray State is not likely to dance unless they’re conference champs. Go Racers.
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I’m neither a meteorologist, nor do I play one on TV, nor did I stay at whatever that motel chain is last night, but I have a sense the cloud of future NCAA sanctions against U of L might be parting a bit.
While I wish nobody ill — OK that’s not true, but it’s the right thing to say — let’s give a hearty thanks to Will Wade and Mark Gottfried for grabbing the spotlight.
With Bill Self and Sean Miller fidgeting in the wings, wondering when more tapes with their voices on them will surface.
There’s going to be some heavy eggplant a comin’ down on major programs in the months to come. A major benefactor might very well be the University of Louisville. It’s Total Makeover has to be a plus in the NCAA’s eyes. Tom Jurich. Gone. Rick Pitino. Sayonara. James Ramsey. Hasta la vista baby.
Lots of folks in the Cardinal community didn’t like those moves. Bottom line: the NCAA probably did.
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Another league title contest that will have the double bubbler Seton Halls and Ole Misses of the world watching eagerly is the A Sun.
Lipscomb has an arguably Dance-worthy record, even if they fall in Sunday’s championship matchup with Liberty. Even with God on their side, the Jerry Falwell University Flames need a win to be in.
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Don’t stray too far, kiddies.
We’ll be keeping you posted for college hoops developments in the coming weeks, be they pertinent, or just some effluvia to read during a timeout in Tuesday’s titanic #10 vs. #15 tilt in the ACC tourney.
Which, as of this writing early Saturday afternoon, appears it will be Georgia Tech vs. Pitt, with projected #7 U of L to play the winner on Wednesday.
— Seedy K
Lipscomb is affiliated with the Church of Christ, so I think the God factor cancels itself out in that one. Wonder if the Bison (Bisons?) would turn down an NCAA bid due to the fact that the Church of Christ does not permit dancing?
Good points.
Seedy, looking into your crystal ball, since we get the winner of GTech vs. ND, do you foresee another 20 win season? I am not sure if I think we can get another one without that W…what says you?