Final Four Saturday. One of the great days in sports.
Game 1:
Late on Friday night, March 17, which seems like a long time ago, Memphis led Florida Atlantic by one very late in a game between 8 and 9 seeds. In a wild sequence at the end, Florida Atlantic stole the ball from Memphis, Memphis stole the ball back from Florida Atlantic and then there was a tie-up with five seconds to play. Memphis thought, and will always believe, that they got possession and called time-out. But the time-out was not awarded, Florida Atlantic had the automatic possession, and, after a timeout, Florida Atlantic scored at the buzzer to win by one.
Thus began a magical run that ended tonight in a loss that was as heartbreaking as the win over Memphis was thrilling. But for that non-call in the Memphis game, whether it was right or wrong, we probably would never have heard of Florida Atlantic. So often, it’s a fine line. That’s the NCAA basketball tournament.
It was clear at halftime tonight that the scoring had to slow down for San Diego State to have a chance. It took five or ten minutes but that finally started to happen. From that point on it felt inevitable that the game would go to the wire, although the result was far from inevitable. In a game this close, there will be play after play that Florida Atlantic will relive for the rest of their lives. But when all was said and done, Lamont Butler’s form on his last second jumper was pure, his shot was true, and now it is part of college basketball history.
So it is time to say goodbye to the Boys from Boca. And thank you. It is teams like Florida Atlantic that make the NCAA Tournament what it is, what it always has been, and what it hopefully will continue to be. We have experienced a generation of seismic changes in college athletics, changes that will continue. Yet the beauty of the NCAA Tournament endures.
Game 2:
The last time we attended the NCAA Tournament outside of Pittsburgh was to watch Pitt annihilate Colorado by 30 before losing a competitive game to top-seeded Florida in Orlando in 2014. We stayed at the Pitt hotel. After the win over Colorado, my wife and I had a burger at a poolside bar-restaurant on a warm Florida night with a mini-lagoon and waterslide behind us. There we ran into and enjoyed a relaxing dinner and a long conversation with one of the really nice guys in sports, long-time Pitt Sports Information Director E.J. Borghetti. As we talked, there were games on TV at either end of the bar. Occasionally, we would pause to watch when one of the games got close. Just a perfect way to enjoy the opening night of the NCAA Tournament, especially after a big win. Although it was a 7 seed against a 10 seed and seemingly of little importance to the tournament as a whole, the most exciting game of the night was game between UConn and St. Joseph’s. St Joe’s led 70-67 with under a minute to play and even after UConn tied it on a 3 point play by Shabazz Napier, the Hawks were shooting for the win at the end. But the Huskies forced overtime and outlasted St. Joseph’s.
In the next round, UConn led 2 seed Villanova by one point at the half. The “sideline reporter” did one of those insipid and intrusive halftime interviews with UConn Head Coach Kevin Ollie. I don’t remember the question, but I do remember the answer, because it was so different from the usual scripted coach-speak of such conversations: We will win this game. I guaranty it.
That UConn team went on to win the national championship. Like Florida Atlantic, they were one play from being remembered as a tiny footnote. Instead, they are part of the rich tradition of UConn basketball. On Monday night, UConn will play for its fifth national championship in the past 25 years. This is a truly remarkable accomplishment, one of the most remarkable accomplishments in sports in this century. UConn has won each of the four final games in which it has played and it will be a heavy favorite to win on Monday night. Tonight, the UConn machine rolled on, with another decisive double figure win over a very good Miami team that UConn made look like a pretty good Miami team.
One reason that UConn will be a heavy favorite on Monday night is that San Diego State is an excellent defensive team while UConn is an excellent defensive team and an excellent offensive team. The other reason that UConn will be a heavy favorite is that nobody has even given them a game in this tournament. Somehow, this team lost eight games in the Big East and finished fourth, and they lost as recently as March 10, to Marquette in the Big East Tournament. How that happened is a mystery to me, but, regardless, I expect UConn to win its fifth national championship in 25 years on Monday night, and I don’t expect it to be close. Based on my predictions so far, this may be San Diego State’s best chance.
A quick word on the women’s tournament, where UConn has an even richer tradition but is not a contender in 2023. Last night I saw one of the best performances I have ever seen on a basketball court, by Caitlin Clark of Iowa, who had 41 points and 8 assists as Iowa upset undefeated and defending national champion South Carolina, closing out the game with four foul shots at the end which she shot as confidently as any end of game foul shots I have ever seen. Clark was like a cross between Pete Maravich and Stephen Curry and it reminded me of the year in the NCAA Tournament when Curry was beating physically superior teams from big conferences almost by himself, with a little help from Jason Richards and friends. Quite a treat and I look forward to the Iowa-LSU final tomorrow.
Women’s tip at 3:30 EDT on Sunday. Men’s tip at 9:20 EDT on Monday. Enjoy the games.
Game 1:
Late on Friday night, March 17, which seems like a long time ago, Memphis led Florida Atlantic by one very late in a game between 8 and 9 seeds. In a wild sequence at the end, Florida Atlantic stole the ball from Memphis, Memphis stole the ball back from Florida Atlantic and then there was a tie-up with five seconds to play. Memphis thought, and will always believe, that they got possession and called time-out. But the time-out was not awarded, Florida Atlantic had the automatic possession, and, after a timeout, Florida Atlantic scored at the buzzer to win by one.
Thus began a magical run that ended tonight in a loss that was as heartbreaking as the win over Memphis was thrilling. But for that non-call in the Memphis game, whether it was right or wrong, we probably would never have heard of Florida Atlantic. So often, it’s a fine line. That’s the NCAA basketball tournament.
It was clear at halftime tonight that the scoring had to slow down for San Diego State to have a chance. It took five or ten minutes but that finally started to happen. From that point on it felt inevitable that the game would go to the wire, although the result was far from inevitable. In a game this close, there will be play after play that Florida Atlantic will relive for the rest of their lives. But when all was said and done, Lamont Butler’s form on his last second jumper was pure, his shot was true, and now it is part of college basketball history.
So it is time to say goodbye to the Boys from Boca. And thank you. It is teams like Florida Atlantic that make the NCAA Tournament what it is, what it always has been, and what it hopefully will continue to be. We have experienced a generation of seismic changes in college athletics, changes that will continue. Yet the beauty of the NCAA Tournament endures.
Game 2:
The last time we attended the NCAA Tournament outside of Pittsburgh was to watch Pitt annihilate Colorado by 30 before losing a competitive game to top-seeded Florida in Orlando in 2014. We stayed at the Pitt hotel. After the win over Colorado, my wife and I had a burger at a poolside bar-restaurant on a warm Florida night with a mini-lagoon and waterslide behind us. There we ran into and enjoyed a relaxing dinner and a long conversation with one of the really nice guys in sports, long-time Pitt Sports Information Director E.J. Borghetti. As we talked, there were games on TV at either end of the bar. Occasionally, we would pause to watch when one of the games got close. Just a perfect way to enjoy the opening night of the NCAA Tournament, especially after a big win. Although it was a 7 seed against a 10 seed and seemingly of little importance to the tournament as a whole, the most exciting game of the night was game between UConn and St. Joseph’s. St Joe’s led 70-67 with under a minute to play and even after UConn tied it on a 3 point play by Shabazz Napier, the Hawks were shooting for the win at the end. But the Huskies forced overtime and outlasted St. Joseph’s.
In the next round, UConn led 2 seed Villanova by one point at the half. The “sideline reporter” did one of those insipid and intrusive halftime interviews with UConn Head Coach Kevin Ollie. I don’t remember the question, but I do remember the answer, because it was so different from the usual scripted coach-speak of such conversations: We will win this game. I guaranty it.
That UConn team went on to win the national championship. Like Florida Atlantic, they were one play from being remembered as a tiny footnote. Instead, they are part of the rich tradition of UConn basketball. On Monday night, UConn will play for its fifth national championship in the past 25 years. This is a truly remarkable accomplishment, one of the most remarkable accomplishments in sports in this century. UConn has won each of the four final games in which it has played and it will be a heavy favorite to win on Monday night. Tonight, the UConn machine rolled on, with another decisive double figure win over a very good Miami team that UConn made look like a pretty good Miami team.
One reason that UConn will be a heavy favorite on Monday night is that San Diego State is an excellent defensive team while UConn is an excellent defensive team and an excellent offensive team. The other reason that UConn will be a heavy favorite is that nobody has even given them a game in this tournament. Somehow, this team lost eight games in the Big East and finished fourth, and they lost as recently as March 10, to Marquette in the Big East Tournament. How that happened is a mystery to me, but, regardless, I expect UConn to win its fifth national championship in 25 years on Monday night, and I don’t expect it to be close. Based on my predictions so far, this may be San Diego State’s best chance.
A quick word on the women’s tournament, where UConn has an even richer tradition but is not a contender in 2023. Last night I saw one of the best performances I have ever seen on a basketball court, by Caitlin Clark of Iowa, who had 41 points and 8 assists as Iowa upset undefeated and defending national champion South Carolina, closing out the game with four foul shots at the end which she shot as confidently as any end of game foul shots I have ever seen. Clark was like a cross between Pete Maravich and Stephen Curry and it reminded me of the year in the NCAA Tournament when Curry was beating physically superior teams from big conferences almost by himself, with a little help from Jason Richards and friends. Quite a treat and I look forward to the Iowa-LSU final tomorrow.
Women’s tip at 3:30 EDT on Sunday. Men’s tip at 9:20 EDT on Monday. Enjoy the games.
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