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OWLS!! OWLS!!

Temple beat city rival St. Joe's 65-61 (I think, I'm still shaking. I don't know) to win the A-10 title and the auto bid in the NCAA tournament.

We didn't go to AC for the tournament because Boonie can't travel that far for another week.

We joked back in February, when he had the surgery that, of course, he wouldn't be able to travel and it would be Temple & St. Joe's in the title game.

They've played 147 times over the years but never in the A-10 title game.

Temple was picked anywhere between 9th & 11th in the pre-season. They went 12-18 last year as the players adjusted to Fran Dunphy's system.

As I said in eygor's earlier thread, it's a nice group of kids, exceedingly special people, as well as pretty good athletes.

I am so very happy for them.

BTW -- Senior Chris Clark (a listed 5-foot-8) was a dynamo on defense. He is the point guard.

It really does all start with the point guard.

I like happy endings. Congratulations! Sorry you couldn't be there.

Pitino's Cardinals didn't fare quite so well in their tournament. I'm sure they'll probably still get a bid, but they sure looked bad.

kayrharris wrote:Pitino's Cardinals didn't fare quite so well in their tournament. I'm sure they'll probably still get a bid, but they sure looked bad.

At least Louisville took Pittsburgh into overtime. Pitt is now 3 minutes away from winning the Big East Tournament, upsetting Georgetown.

Georgetown, Duke, and Tennessee all losing probably means that the winner of the Kansas-Texas game in the Big XII Championship will be the 4th #1 seed. Actually, Georgetown's loss probably doesn't have that much effect on it, but Tennessee's does. And Duke could have made a case for a #1 if they had won today and beaten UNC tomorrow.

So, Your #1's should be:

UNC
UCLA
Memphis
KU-UT winner

#2's:

Tennessee
KU-UT Loser
Georgetown
Duke
BUT, Wisconsin could move up with a win in the Big 10 tourney, knocking out either the Hoyas or the dookies. An Illinois upset would burst someone's bubble and drop the Badgers to either a 4 or a 5.

I had heard that the Big 10 Championship starts too late for its results to affect seedings, but if that's true, it should also apply to the SEC, which starts at the same time and possibly the Big 12, which starts only 30 minutes earlier.

If it is true, then the Committee would have to have brackets ready for each contingency.

I agree, Cal, that the fourth #1 seed comes from Kansas./Texas.

How could it not.

Watching the third OT of Boise State-New Mexico State now.

When I was a sportswriter in CA, this was my favorite time of the year, no question. It kind of always was and still remains so.

I was in charge of the conference tournament pages over the final two weeks before (a bow to TLAF) Mad March.

I did the page layout and directed the boxscores to our college intern agate clerk. I watched what we now call "bubble teams" - this was a time before the 24/7 sports news (or other news, for that matter) - and looked for upsets and unusual conference wins/losses.

Stuff like UMBC's and American U's first-ever NCAA tournament bids.

AND, on that note, a tip of the cap to old friend Fang Mitchell, the coach of Coppin State.

Before I went to CA, I worked in Camden, NJ. One of our regular callers for scores & game reports was the coach of Gloucester County College (a JC), one Fang Mitchell.

Fang always wanted to talk to "The Lady. Because The Lady knows."

Years later, I was in a group of people at the Final Four in Indianpolis. Chatted up a bunch of coaches. One of them was Fang, whom I'd never met in person.

I introduced myself. He said, "The Lady! We're talking to The Lady!" It had been perhaps 20 years but he remembered, which touched me.

Also meant to comment on the Sunday games.

How much later than usual is the SEC championship starting tomorrow?

I've thought the games started a little too close for comfort for Selection SUnday.

I know the conferences LOVE the suspense. But it has to drive the committee nuts!!

I am pretty sure -- based on those local-sportswriters-do-the-committe-job-stories -- that there are contingiency plan in place for late, late tourney games.

According to ESPN.com, both the SEC and Big 10 start at 3:30. The Big XII starts at 3:00.

OK, thanks.

For the record - I think your Bears are fine. A nice seed.

And, yo! Purdue guys! You'll be fine!!

mellytu74 wrote:

AND, on that note, a tip of the cap to old friend Fang Mitchell, the coach of Coppin State.

Before I went to CA, I worked in Camden, NJ. One of our regular callers for scores & game reports was the coach of Gloucester County College (a JC), one Fang Mitchell.

Fang always wanted to talk to "The Lady. Because The Lady knows."

Years later, I was in a group of people at the Final Four in Indianpolis. Chatted up a bunch of coaches. One of them was Fang, whom I'd never met in person.

I introduced myself. He said, "The Lady! We're talking to The Lady!" It had been perhaps 20 years but he remembered, which touched me.

Great story, Melly. I've been looking for a long-shot team to root for. Coppin State it shall be. (With only 16 wins, their odds will be very long.) I may be the Lady Who Knows Nothing, but that still makes me the Lady Who Knows Nothing But Knows the Lady Who Knows.

Go, Eagles!

mellytu74 wrote:OK, thanks.

For the record - I think your Bears are fine. A nice seed.

And, yo! Purdue guys! You'll be fine!!

Thanks. Unless all the pundits are way off, we aren't really a bubble team. If too many wacky things had happened in Conference tourneys, that first round loss to Colorado would have been much worse. Like I said in another thread, I'd rather be an 11 or 12 (prefer 12) than a 9, which is where we were slotted before the Conference tourney.

I am far from objective, but I really believe that Baylor can play with any team in the country except perhaps UNC and UCLA. That's not to say they'll even get out of the first round, but I wouldn't be shocked for them to make it to the Sweet 16.

Someone is going to be unbearable.

Good thing he can't come here anymore.

The basketball tournaments are going the same way the football season went this year... If there are any picks to me made, go with all upsets!!

Great story, Melly! Very neat you got to meet him in person.

I was sure this thread would make me smile because I knew it would be about The Rookie.

But no -- it was about another bunch of Owls -- well done!!

Yes, it made me smile.

I mean, parliament of Owls.

Very happy for you Melly!


Since this has been an off-year that I haven't followed college hoops much, and I'm an A-10 guy (Fordham), I think I'll adopt the Owls for this year's NCAAs. I had been considering Memphis only b/c I spent a week in Memphis on business (the week their unbeaten run ended).


Snaxx


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mellytu74 wrote:Also meant to comment on the Sunday games.

How much later than usual is the SEC championship starting tomorrow?

I've thought the games started a little too close for comfort for Selection SUnday.

I know the conferences LOVE the suspense. But it has to drive the committee nuts!!

I am pretty sure -- based on those local-sportswriters-do-the-committe-job-stories -- that there are contingiency plan in place for late, late tourney games.

One of the smaller conferences (I'm pretty sure it was the SWAC) used to hold its title game on Sunday night AFTER the selections. Pretty much guaranteed a close-to-bottom seeding and no chance of an at-large bid. The published brackets would include the conference winner TBD in one of the, say, 15th seeded slots.