Blog # 59

Why would Crimson Tide fans care about the finals of the Metro Atlantic Conference Tourney?  Alabama lost to St. Peter's in November 50 - 49, but the stigma of that "bad loss" lessened when the Peacocks defeated Iona Monday night for an NCAA bid 62 -57 http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recap?gid=201103070275 . Selection Committee, take note.   NEXT

In a battle of All-BB (Barry's Blog) players, Wofford and Noah Dahlman defeated College of Charleston and Andrew Goudelock 77 - 67 to win the Southern Conference tournament. Dahlman, with the nation's 5th highest field goal percentage at 61.2 %, barely had another infrequent sub-.500 shooting day, 7 for 15, but his 21 points and 9 rebounds were keys to the Terriers' victory especially down the stretch.  Goudelock led Charleston with 25 points on 9 for 20 shooting including 4 for 8 from the perimeter, some of them from eye-popping deep range.

For you bracket fillers, Wofford hardly plays anyone over 6 ' 6, but their key players are all wise seniors, which I love at tournament time.  Tim Johnson, at 6' 6 and 225 is impressively chiseled like a linebacker and can keep bigger opponents out of the paint. If you remember, they gave a talented, large Wisconsin team trouble last year 53 - 49 in the NCAA's. I would not be surprised if they won an NCAA tournament game this year. NEXT

Now I get to boast about my top pick for a Sweet Sixteen appearance by a mid-major, red-hot Old Dominion. Yesterday's 70 - 65 victory against VCU in the Colonial Athletic Association tourney final was the Monarchs 9th straight http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/teams/oah/schedule .

Once again ODU dominated their opponent on the boards, 34 - 21. All-BB Frank Hassell continued to show why he is such a force with 22 points on 8 for 9 shooting while also grabbing 9 rebounds  . He is a load at 6" 9  255 (bloggee Charlie from Norfolk insists he weighs much more) and should make a lasting impression on the NCAA tournament.  A dream matchup would be ODU vs. Morehead State to see Hassell go against all-BB and the nation's leading rebounder, Kenneth Faried, in a matchup of giants not seen since Hulk Hogan battled the late Andre the Giant in Wrestlemania III. We can hope.  http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/teams/oah/schedule . NEXT

I am not ashamed that I have developed a quick man-crush on North Texas's Tristan Thompson. Just a day after making all 20 of his free throws, this 6' 5 senior guard hand another stellar night lifting the Mean Green to an  81 - 62  thrashing of Western Kentucky (the Hilltoppers could have used Jordan Swing who transferred this year to UAB) in the semi-finals of the wide-open Sun Belt Tourney http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/boxscore?gid=201103070639 . Thompson put on a clinic with 28 points on 9 for 15 shooting, 4 for 6 long distance.

You have to love this time of the year when mid-major players, like the above-mentioned Thompson, Dahlman, Faried, Goudelock and Hassell get the center stage that they so richly deserve. NEXT

It has not been a fun couple of days for these college coaches whose nameplates are no longer on their office doors:

Jim Les  - Bradley (always tough to fire a former star player)

Perry Clark - TAMU Corpus Christi

Pat Knight - Texas Tech

Pat Kennedy - Towson

Tony Ingle - Kennesaw State (he was supposed to be the speaker at the final meeting of the Birmingham Tipoff Club next week)

Kirk Earlywine - Eastern Washington   NEXT

Look who is going to be announced as the new athletic director at Samford tomorrow? Martin Newton, son of C.M. and former Samford hoopster. He currently is the director of basketball operations at the University of Kentucky. You certainly can't complain about the legacy he brings. NEXT

Speaking of Samford, the city of Birmingham is still going crazy after the Lady Bulldogs upset top-seeded Appalachian State in Monday's finals of the Southern Conference tourney, 57 - 54 clinching a bid to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history http://samfordsports.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/stats/2010-2011/sam0307.html  .

Emily London Update. She nailed her first three free throws for Samford. Would you believe the nation's leader in free throw percentage, indirectly helped the team win by actually missing a free throw?  With 29 seconds left, down by 2, she drove to the basket and was fouled hard, landing on her wrist. I could see she was in pain watching the televised game. She missed the free throw but Samford got the offensive rebound and Paige Anderson nailed a three-pointer with 18 seconds left for the lead that was never relinquished.

Whenever I can get some of that March Madness frenzy, I will do it. So last night I was on the Samford campus with many students and supporters greeting the arriving bus carrying the champion Lady Bulldogs. You can't describe what it is like to be there when players, coaches and all those associated with a mid-major university, together experience the euphoria of making the NCAA tournament for the first time. This video captures the celebration. www.samford.edu/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=6442467272  THAT'S IT.

Enjoy.....the Big East starts the power conference tournaments today....more mid-major tournaments to watch tonight,

Barry