My Beloved 91 Bloggees:
In the first half of Tuesday night's game at Georgia, Xavier's Tu Holloway must have felt the pressure from the acclaim that has been given him in this blog. He had zero points in the first stanza. He regrouped in the second half with 18 points including 11 for 11 at the free throw line leading the Musketeers to a 65 - 57 victory over the Bulldogs http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/boxscore?gid=201102080230 . Both stud Trey Thompkins and Jeremy Price fouled out for Georgia which was another big factor in the game.
Don't worry Georgia bloggees, last year Xavier came down to Gainesville about this same time last year and spanked Florida 76 - 64. (Florida got revenge this year up in Cincinnati 71 - 67). The Gators were still able to get an invitation to the Big Dance. If you win your 3 home games against South Carolina, Vanderbilt and LSU and split your 4 road games against South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida and Alabama, you should be a lock regardless of what happens in the conference tournament http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/teams/gaf/schedule . With your talent, that can happen. NEXT
Infatuation. That is the word I use to describe my feelings toward lock-down defenders. On the football field you think of cornerbacks such as soon-to-be inducted Hall of Famer Deion Sanders and future Hall of Famer Darrelle Revis. On the basketball court as a long-time Gator hoops fan, I think of Hosie Grimsley (still can't forget when he held 8-year NBA player, Arkansas's Todd Day to 5 of 15 shooting) Brian Thompson (Final Four 1994), Major Parker (Final Four 2000) and Corey Brewer (National Champs 2006 and 2007). Did you notice that trend at the end of the list?
University of Kentucky aficionados have similar infatuation with DeAndre Liggins. The 6' 6 junior lock-down defender took Tennessee's Scotty Hopson out of the game Tuesday night in the Wildcats' 73 - 61 victory over the Volunteers at Ashley Judd Arena. http://www.state-journal.com/news/article/4978287 . Liggins limited Hopson, who missed the previous two Vol games with a sprained ankle, to just 11 points on 3 for 8 shooting http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/boxscore?gid=201102080292 . Besides his 5 steals, DeAndre had 19 points on 5 for 6 shooting, 2 for 2 from deep and 7 for 8 from the stripe. That is an MVP night.
On Saturday night, the Gators scoring point guard, Erving Walker, was "DeAndred" throughout the night resulting in 1 for 9 shooting. South Carolina's freshman phenom point guard, Bruce Elkington, also felt the wrath of DeAndre a couple of weeks ago, shooting 3 for 11 for 8 points. DeAndre Liggins. you rock my basketball viewing world, whatever that means. NEXT.
Clemson is inching closer to a possible NCAA bid. On Tuesday night, the Tigers won at home against Boston College, 77- 69 http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/boxscore?gid=201102080120 . Jerai Grant, son of Harvey and nephew of Horace, led the way with 17 points on 7 for 9 shooting along with 3 blocked shots.
I believe the Tigers need to win a couple games on the road the rest of the way....either at Miami, NC State or (let me clear my throat) Duke. So far, the only road wins have been at the College of Charleston and Georgia Tech. Also, they need to win at least two of three at home.....(pardon me again) North Carolina, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech (formerly known as VPI...remember that acronym along with its nickname, the Gobblers, until the late 70s).
I bet if we were asked the name of the first-year Clemson coach, 90 % of us hoops junkies would not know without googling.....Brad Brownwell who came from Wright State. NEXT
Gator killer, Jacksonville University, featured my type of "hard hat" player in its big Tuesday night's home 71 - 67 Atlantic Sun Conference win against crosstown rival North Florida http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/boxscore?gid=201102080281 . Even though 6' 7, 215 lb Delwan Graham was 2 for 6 from the field, he was 10 for 10 at the gift lane (thank you, legendary Georgia Tech broadcaster, the late Al Ciraldo for coining that phrase) for 14 points, 15 rebounds with 7 on the offensive end, 3 assists and 5 blocked shots.
The game was blacked out on ESPN3.com here so I was not able to see the thrilling finish when after Jacksonville took a two-point lead with 7 seconds left, North Florida missed a potential winning 3-pointer at the buzzer....sounds like the exact breathtaking ending of Saturday's Gator 2-point win over Kentucky. I am sure bloggees Alan and Paul were dancing in the streets (thank you, Hall of Fame Astros broadcaster, Milo Hamilton, for popularizing that phrase) after the game. NEXT
When you get a chance, click on the following link to read the USA Today's inspirational cover story in its Wednesday sport section about Division III LaRoche College. The Redhawks lost their 41-year old head coach, Scott Lang, to a fatal heart attack two months ago http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2011-02-08-scott-lang-death-laroche-basketball_N.htm . THAT'S IT
Enjoy....don't forget Gator fans in the southeast, your only chance of watching the South Carolina game tonight is on http://www.espn3.com/ 7:00 CST......and to correct an error in a previous blog....Dick Vitale's Duke-North Carolina game is on ESPN tonight (not Thursday night) at 8:00 CST,
Barry
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