NCAA Regional Finals (cont.)

Here are today's games:

(2) Houston v. (6) Tennessee (1:20 P.M. -- CBS)

(4) Auburn v. (8) Michigan St. (4:05 P.M. -- CBS)

In the opener, Tennessee -- who is used to bullying everyone else -- is getting pushed around by Houston.  The Cougars lead 34 to 15 at the half, as Tennessee's lack of basketball skill is hurting it in a game where its physicality is counterbalanced by Houston's own.

NCAA Regional Finals

All eight teams left in the NCAA Tournament are in Ken Pom's top nine.  I can't remember that ever happening before.  It has been a great tournament, and we still have seven games left.  Here are tonight's matchups:

1.  (1) Duke v. (7) Alabama (7:49 P.M. -- TBS)

2.  (3) Florida v. (9) Texas Tech (5:09 P.M. -- TBS)

At the end of the first half, Florida leads Texas Tech 40 to 37.

KHSAA Boys' State: Semi-Finals and Final

Earlier today, they played the semi-finals in the KHSAA Boys' State Basketball Tournament.  In the first semi-final, Number-14 Bowling Green pounded Number-11 S. Oldham 73 to 51.  The Purples appear to be getting stronger as the tournament goes along.  Next up, Malachi Moreno and the Great Crossing Warhawks crushed Montgomery County, 70 to 49.  So we are down to the last game of the season, both in the Commonwealth and in Rupp Arena:

(14) Bowling Green (30-6) v. (2) Great Crossing (33-4)

Here is how Bowling Green got here, starting with the Fourth Region Tournament:

03/11/25:  (14) Bowling Green 80, Glasgow 53

03/17/25:  (14) Bowling Green 86, Russell Co. 71

03/19/25:  (14) Bowling Green 66, Clinton Co. 59

03/26/25:  (14) Bowling Green 52, Adair Co. 51 (OT)

03/28/25:  (14) Bowling Green 80, (8) Ashland Blazer 74 (OT)

03/29/25:  (14) Bowling Green 73, (11) S. Oldham 51

And here is how Great Crossing got to the Final:

03/04/25:  (2) Great Crossing 81, Lex. Christian 51

03/08/25:  (2) Great Crossing 59, (5) Lex. Bryan Station 56

03/11/25:  (2) Great Crossing 59, (3) Lex. Frederick Douglass 57

03/27/25:  (2) Great Crossing 69, Daviess Co. 37

03/28/25:  (2) Great Crossing 49, (9) Cooper 36

03/29/25:  (2) Great Crossing 70, Montgomery Co. 49

Whatever happens tonight, it has been a tremendous season, and we wish both teams the very best of luck.

It is 160 miles from Bowling Green H.S. (in Bowling Green) to Great Crossing H.S. in Georgetown.

NCAA Regional Semi-Finals (cont.)

Here are Ken Pom's "Thrill Score" rankings.  As usual, the Cats are in the most exciting game of the day:

1.  (6) Tennessee v. (18) Kentucky (6:39 P.M. -- TBS)

2.  (8) Michigan St. v. Mississippi (6:09 P.M. -- CBS)

3.  (2) Houston v. Purdue (9:09 P.M. -- TBS)

4.  (4) Auburn v. (14) Michigan (8:39 P.M. -- CBS)

St. John's is the only team in the AP Top Nine that has been eliminated from the Tournament.  Arkansas beat St. John's, and last night Arkansas was up 69-56 on Number-9 Texas Tech with less than five minutes to go.  Now stop me if you've heard this one before:

1.  Arkansas tried to run clock and killed its own offense.

2.  Tech made a 10-0 run to get back into the game.

3.  With 27 seconds left, and a 72-69 lead, Arkansas had big man Jordan Aidoo on the line to put the game away.  He missed the front end of a one-and-one.

4.  Still guarding the 72-69 lead with time running out, Arkansas chose not to foul.  So Tech hit a three-pointer to tie the game with nine seconds left.

5.  Arkansas had the last shot, so D.J. Wagner put up a running prayer that missed.  Overtime.

6.  In overtime, Tech took an 85-83 lead on a late bucket.

7.  With less than ten seconds to go, and the ball for the last shot, Arkansas did not call time.

8.  Instead, Wagner tried another one-on-one effort that led to another off-balance jump shot.

9.  Wagner's shot missed and Tech advanced to the Regional Final.

As several folks have pointed out today, Arkansas really did get both the best and the worst of the Coach Cal experience in a single year.  I am still frustrated that after all these years, I've never heard a coherent explanation of why:  (1) Cal freezes the ball with a lead and five minutes to go; (2) Cal doesn't foul up three; or (3) Cal doesn't call a timeout to set up the last shot of the game.  He's one of the greatest college coaches of all time, but I think he's wrong on all those issues.

KHSAA Boys' State: Quarterfinals

Here are today's quarterfinals (all times Central):

10 A.M.:  (8) Ashland Blazer v. (14) Bowling Green

12:30 P.M.:  (11) S. Oldham v. Jeffersontown

5 P.M.:  N. Laurel v. Montgomery Co.

7:30 P.M.:  (2) Great Crossing v. (9) Cooper

Unfortunately, the UK game will be going on when Great Crossing plays Cooper, so that game will not get the attention it deserves.