Last night for regionals. All remaining games to be played at Rupp Arena in beautiful Lexington, Kentucky:
3d Region Final (at Owensboro Sportscenter):
Muhlenberg Co. 60, McLean Co. 47
The Mustangs win the Third Region for the second year in a row.
4th Region Final (at W. Kentucky):
(5) Warren Central 58, (8) Bowling Green 50
Four regional titles in the last five years for the Dragons, who won it all in 2004.
5th Region Final (at Nelson Co.):
John Hardin 58, Elizabethtown 53 (OT)
John Hardin returns to State for the first time since 2019. The Bulldogs have gone to State six times, but have yet to reach the semi-finals.
6th Region Final (at Lou. Valley):
Lou. Jeffersontown 59, Lou. Doss 54
The Chargers are headed to State for the first time since they won the Seventh Region back in 2008. The Chargers won it all in 2006.
8th Region Final (at Henry Co.):
North Oldham 63, Woodford Co. 53
North Oldham High School opened in 2003, and (not surprisingly) their team is called the Mustangs. This is their first trip to State.
9th Region Final (at BB & T Arena):
(3) Cov. Catholic 59, Dixie Heights 43
Covington Catholic is going back to the tournament for the fourth time in five years. The Colonels have a good claim to be the best program in Kentucky, as they won it all in 2014 and 2018.
10th Region Final (at Cov. Holmes):
(1) George Rogers Clark 80, Bracken Co. 45
GRC had to make some long road trips up to Holmes for the Regional Tournament, but now they can stay much closer to home. This is GRC's third straight regional title. No team from Clark County has won it all since 1951, when old Clark County High School turned the trick.
12th Region Final (at Pulaski Co.):
Lincoln Co. 42, Pulaski Co. 40 (OT)
Heartbreak for Pulaski County, which finished with a record of 30-3 after losing the regional final at home. The Lincoln County Patriots return to State for the first time since 2019.
14th Region Final (at Breathitt Co.):
Perry Co. Cent. 64, Estill Co. 46
The Commodores return to State for the first time since 2019.
16th Region Final (at Morehead St.):
(7) Ashland Blazer 84, Boyd Co. 52
Ashland returns to State for the third year in a row. The Tomcats are looking for the first title for any team from the 16th Region since Ashland won it all (behind Larry Conley) in 1960.
Here are your first round matchups (all times Central). Please note that the matchups are listed in the order they appear on the bracket:
Wednesday, March 16:
10 A.M.: Lou. Jeffersontown v. Lincoln Co.
12:30 P.M.: Muhlenberg Co. v. N. Oldham
5 P.M.: Perry Co. Cent. v. (1) George Rogers Clark
7:30 P.M.: (6) N. Laurel v. (9) Pikeville
Thursday, March 17:
12:30 P.M.: Lyon Co. v. John Hardin
7:30 P.M.: (3) Cov. Catholic v. (7) Ashland Blazer
5 P.M.: Lex. Henry Clay v. Murray
10 A.M.: (2) Lou. Male v. (5) Warren Cent.
We have seven ranked teams in the tournament, and six of them are playing each other in the first round. That's very exciting.
Am I the only person who misses the ACC Basketball Tournament? It used to be great.
ReplyDeleteToday I pulled out my Kentucky High School Basketball Encyclopedia (100th Anniversary Edition). Here's how Lyon County got to the State Tournament in 1951:
ReplyDelete6th District Tournament (at Cadiz):
Princeton Butler 57, Trigg Co. 44
Lyon Co. 54, Fredonia 52 (OT)
Lyon Co. 41, Princeton Butler 39
2d Region Tournament (at Madisonville):
Madisonville 60, Livingston Co. 40
Princeton Butler 59, Crittenden Co. 56 (OT)
Charleston 53, S. Christian 47
Lyon Co. 52, Todd Co. 51
Madisonville 53, Princeton Butler 52
Lyon Co. 50, Charleston 44
Lyon Co. 60, Madisonville 49
Where is Charleston? Who was Butler?
Butler was the predecessor of Caldwell County High. The building still stands.
DeleteCharleston is a community in southwest Hopkins County, kind of between Saint Charles and Dawson Springs. It was part of the 1962 consolidation that became West Hopkins.
DeleteThis looks like an interesting website.
Syracuse, which is in the ACC, and George Mason both have been eliminated for contention for the NC2A championship.
ReplyDeleteButler is done.
ReplyDeleteMichigan is probably not done, but we'll see.
ReplyDeleteMichigan is 17-14 after falling from ahead to lose to Indiana today.
DeleteTexas and Texas Christian might yet both make the NCAA tournament, but one of them is going to feel a lot better about its chances after the next 1 minute of game time in Kansas City. It's 60-60 in a Big 12 quarterfinal ...
ReplyDeleteTCU, with a beautifully executed inbounds play, takes a 62-60 lead, and now the purple-and-white Campbellites are headed to the free-throw line with 15.3 seconds to go ...
DeleteGood and good, and TCU's lead is four points. Texas misses a three, and now TCU is fouled again, with 4.8 seconds to go. The Longhorns, whose record is going to slip to 21-11, led this game by a load.
DeleteRelated daytime sports on multiple TV channels is so much fun.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, the Seinfeld on Comedy Central is the one where Judge Reinhold gets too close too quickly with Jerry's parents. Also fun!
ReplyDeleteOh, cool. Judge Reinhold got nominated for an Emmy for this performance.
DeleteHe was great in that episode.
DeleteFlorida (19-13) is probably done.
ReplyDeleteFlorida should be done. Texas A & M should get in.
DeleteBut Texas A & M and Texas Christian may be competing for the same bid.
DeleteTCU (20-11) was down 18 today; IU (19-12), 17.
ReplyDeleteMichigan had beaten IU nine times in a row.
DeleteHere's the First Region Tournament from 1983, one of the most exciting seasons in KHSAA history:
ReplyDeleteAll games at Marshall County H.S.:
Calloway Co. 58, Hickman Co. 46
Wingo 64, Heath 55 (I was at this game)
Carlisle Co. 47, Murray 46
Paducah Tilghman 77, Lowes 53
Calloway Co. 63, Wingo 47
Carlisle Co. 56, Paducah Tilghman 54 (I listened to this game on the radio)
Carlisle Co. 86, Calloway Co. 59
I always think of Carlisle County beating Tilghman in that championship. Calloway County in First Region 1983 basketball is Finland in Lake Placid 1980 hockey.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good comparison. Carlisle beat Tilghman four times that year. The next year, Tilghman had another good team but lost to Barry Goheen and Marshall County in overtime. In those two years, Tilghman went 49-13 but didn't win the region.
DeleteHooray! We appear to have a baseball deal!
ReplyDeleteGo, A's!
ReplyDeleteHere are my big ideas for MLB:
Delete1. Move the Astros back to the NL
2. Move the Brewers back to the AL
3. Move the Marlins to Brooklyn; they become the Brooklyn Robins
4. Move the Rays to Buffalo; they become the Buffalo Bisons
5. Put a new NL team in Montreal; call it the Expos
6. Put a new AL team in Nashville; call it the Vols
7. Now that you have 32 teams, form two leagues with four divisions
8. Only the division winners make the playoffs.
9. The post-season always begins on the first Tuesday in October.
10. All post-season games on Saturday or Sunday start at 1 PM local time
11. All weeknight post-season games start at 6:30 PM Eastern Time
12. All World Series Games are on ABC
13. All other Post-Season Games are on ABC or ESPN
Andy Katz have Creigton and Marquette both in his field of 68. Right now, Creighton (20-10) has Marquette (19-11) down, 46-34, with about 12 minutes to go in a Big East (!) quarterfinal.
ReplyDeleteHas not have and Creighton not Creigton
DeleteWe need a concise list of all of the teams that have ended Kentucky's seasons, and it's probably out there somewhere, but I can't find it quickly.
ReplyDeleteHere's the list since I've been watching:
Delete1975: UCLA
1977: N. Carolina
1978: NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
1980: Duke
1981: Ala-Birmingham
1982: Mid. Tennessee St.
1983: Louisville
1984: Georgetown
1985: St. John's
1986: Louisiana St.
1987: Ohio St.
1988: Villanova
1992: Duke
1993: Michigan
1994: Marquette
1995: N. Carolina
1996: NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
1997: Arizona
1998: NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
1999: Michigan St.
2000: Syracuse
2001: USC
2002: Maryland
2003: Marquette
2004: Ala-Birmingham
2005: Michigan St.
2006: Connecticut
2007: Kansas
2008: Marquette
2010: W. Virginia
2011: Connecticut
2012: NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
2014: Connecticut
2015: Wisconsin
2016: Indiana
2017: N. Carolina
2018: Kansas St.
2019: Auburn
Outstanding. Thank you. I'm rooting against all of these teams.
DeleteIn looking over this list, it occurs to me that UK's loss to Tennessee in overtime in the 1979 SEC tournament final is probably the most heartbreaking UK loss of all time for me. It didn't end their season because UK was picked for the NIT (and lost in the first round to Clemson). But I was so in love with those guys and dialed in to that entire SEC tournament, and it was widely understood that winning the tournament was the only way UK was going back to the NC2A to defend its championship. So, for me, I think it might've been worse than this brutal run of NCAA-tournament finishes ...
Delete1981: Ala-Birmingham
1982: Mid. Tennessee St.
1983: Louisville
1984: Georgetown
1985: St. John's
1986: Louisiana St.
I know I cried on the Tennessee loss. I actually don't remember crying over UAB, MTSU or Louisville; the first two were more stupefying than sad, and Louisville was more infuriating because of Billy Reed. I definitely also cried over Georgetown, but I remember kind of standing outside myself during that experience, thinking about how I was ready to be different than the little boy who was crying over my basketball team not making basketball goals. The St. John's and LSU losses were like the last throwing-up drunks before going cold turkey--I didn't even like drinking anymore; I was just still doing it.
But Tennessee was whole-body, howling-at-the-moon heartbreak with no imaginable or even desired alternative to the experience. Yes, that one was the worst for me.
Here's what I remember about 1979. LSU won the SEC that year, and beat UK twice during the regular season. To get to the semi-finals of the SEC, UK had to beat Ole Miss (82-77) and Alabama (101-100 on my birthday in a game that I heard on the radio while watching the Second District Tournament at Heath. Against Alabama, Dwight Anderson had 19 points in 40 minutes on 7-11 shooting. Against LSU, he had no points because someone (I think it was DeWayne Scales) upended him on a drive to the basket at the beginning of the game and Anderson broke his wrist and was gone for the season. To this day, it's the dirtiest play I've ever seen, and I never forgave Dale Brown for that play. UK whacked LSU anyway, beating them 80-67 in the best game they ever played against DeWayne Scales. But against Tennessee, the loss of Anderson really hurt them and they lost in overtime.
DeletePretty good chance it seems to me that the NC2A will be sending one of these two teams, either Creighton or Marquette, to try to Gillooly UK in the second round.
ReplyDeleteCreighton, 63-58 and the ball, at the last TV timeout ...
ReplyDelete70-63 and to the line, Creighton, with 48.7 to play. Should be a wrap, leaving Marquette to sweat out the weekend with a 19-12 record.
ReplyDeleteIn the SEC, LSU beats Missouri 76-68.
ReplyDeleteIn the ACC, Miami beats BC 71-69 in overtime. Nothing says "Atlantic Coast Conference" like a game between Miami and Boston College in Brooklyn.
ReplyDeleteOklahoma upsets Baylor 72-67, which effectively gives the Big XII conference title to Kansas.
ReplyDeleteIn Brooklyn, Virginia Tech beats Notre Dame 87-80. When I think of the ACC, I think of Virginia Tech and Notre Dame. Man, you throw the record books out when those guys play.
ReplyDeleteBut on the Isle of Manhattan, at a place called Madison Square Garden, we have an old school Big East game: St. John's 65, Villanova 64, Villanova ball, 22.4 seconds left. Good for the Big East!
ReplyDeleteHeartbreak for the Johnnies! Villanova and St. John's end up in a typical Big East scrum under the basket, and St. John's is called for a foul with 2.8 seconds left. Villanova has two free throws coming up.
ReplyDeleteVillanova makes the first free throw.
ReplyDeleteTime out.
Villanova makes the second free throw.
St. John's misses a half-court shot at the buzzer.
Villanova wins 66-65.
1985 me: Yea!
ReplyDelete1988 me: Boo!
The number 1 seed in the SEC always has to play the first quarter-final on Friday, and I have always hated that game. Auburn fans are learning why, as they trail Texas A & M 34-19 with 1:36 left in the first half.
ReplyDeleteAt the half, the Aggies lead 37-21. Being on top isn't as easy as it looks.
ReplyDeleteAuburn in big trouble. Aggies lead 56-41 with 8 minutes left.
ReplyDeleteNumber-1 seed Illinois makes only a cameo appearance at the Big 10 Tournament. They lose 65-63 to Indiana, who has now beaten Michigan and Illinois on back-to-back days.
ReplyDeleteAuburn has finally woken up. Aggies lead 58-49 with 4:28 left after Auburn nails a long three. Aggies call time.
ReplyDeleteIf Auburn loses this game, I think they can say good-bye to a number one seed.
ReplyDeleteAuburn has several chances to cut into the lead, but the Tigers are 6-29 from three-point range -- and that's why Calipari doesn't like to have UK shoot very many three's. Aggies now lead 60-49 with 3:11 left.
ReplyDeleteBut wait!!. Auburn hits back-to-back threes, and the Aggies lead 60-55 with 1:56 left. It hasn't been this close in a long time.
ReplyDeleteAggies come out of the timeout and run a perfect give-and-go play for a dunk. Auburn misses a really long three. Aggies have the ball and a 62-55 lead with 1:20 left.
ReplyDeleteAuburn has a steal and a breakaway for a layup -- BUT THE LAYUP IS BLOCKED!!! Aggies get the ball back and are fouled with 51.9 seconds left and a 62-55 lead. Texas A & M is going to win.
ReplyDeleteA & M misses the free throw, Jabari Smith makes a three, and A & M now leads 62-58. 36.9 seconds left.
ReplyDeleteA & M makes two free throws, Wendell Davis is called for a push off driving to the lane, and the Aggies have the ball and a 64-58 lead with 32 seconds to go.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, this result isn't the worst thing that could happen to Auburn. They've been coasting for the last six weeks, since they blew out Alabama 100-81 at home. And today they didn't really start playing until they were down by 20 with about 10 minutes left. Now maybe they'll start paying attention again.
ReplyDeleteUK went to A & M in January when the Aggies were 15-2 and 4-0 in the SEC, and the Cats were soon down 33-22 late in the first half. The Cats figured it out, came all the way back, and won 64-58. A & M went into a tailspin and lost eight games in a row. But this will be their seventh win in their last eight, and will probably put them in the NCAA's. I believe in Buzz Williams.
ReplyDeleteAggies win 67-62. It's their first win against a top 5 AP team since 1982.
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled that Auburn lost. Sorry, SmartMom.
ReplyDeleteWestern Kentucky is not going to the NCAA tournament, by the way. Louisiana Tech beat the Hilltoppers, 59-57, last night in Conference USA tournament at a former RAX restaurant in Biloxi, Mississippi (probably--I didn't look up where). The Lady Tops lost a couple of nights ago, too. There's pretty good chances for snow around here tonight, and WKU basketball seasons should not end when there are still pretty good chances for snow around here.
ReplyDeleteIn the Big 10 quarters, Rutgers leads Iowa 15-8 with 15 minutes left in the first half.
ReplyDeleteWith 5:22 left in the first half, LSU leads Arkansas 20-17. Arkansas has missed 11 shots in a row.
ReplyDeleteArkansas claws back, and leads 29-26 at the half. In the regular season, Arkansas won twice against LSU: 65-58 at Baton Rouge and 77-76 at Fayetteville. I wouldn't want to have to beat LSU three times in one year. And Ken Pom has LSU winning 70-69.
ReplyDeleteBut Arkansas is tough.
With the loss to TAMU, Ken Pom has dropped Auburn down to 10. That's the lowest they've been since December 29.
ReplyDeleteWith 18:34 left, Arkansas has spurted out to a 34-26 lead.
ReplyDeleteOvertime in a C-USA semi, and MTSU is going to the free-throw line, down 69-68, with 19.6 seconds to go against UAB.
ReplyDeleteVomit.
Miss. Make. Tied ... UAB misses a long three ... double overtime ... double vomit ...
ReplyDeleteAndy Katz doesn't foresee anyone but the tournament champion advancing out of Conference USA, which I imagine is correct. But there are some pretty good records in this league. UAB and MTSU are 25-7 and 23-9, respectively, for example. Somebody's going to be pretty disappointed here in five or 10 minutes or so.
ReplyDeleteLouisiana Tech (24-9) upset top-seed North Texas (24-6) today and will play in tomorrow's championship against this game's winner, so I will be rooting for my cable to go on the blink. 74-71, MTSU, with 3:27 in the second overtime ...
ReplyDeleteI really dislike North Texas, which is the slowest team in college basketball. LaTech beat the Mean Green 42-36, and I think that's hilarious.
Delete77-73, 2:41 ...
ReplyDeleteAnd now MTSU has the ball after a block ... timeout ... 2:22 ...
ReplyDeleteThe first Huddle House restaurant I ever ate at was in Ruston, Louisiana, home to Louisiana Tech. Now I live within about a five-minute drive of a Huddle House (and like their steak and eggs a good deal).
ReplyDeleteIn Birmingham, I rediscovered Fresca after its long absence from American grocery aisles.
I don't have any happy memories of Murfreesboro, Tennessee (100 Miles of Hate!).
Alley-oop dunk for MTSU on an inbounds pass from under the goal, and now it's 79-73 with 1:25 to play ...
ReplyDeleteWith both of these teams fighting for the continuation of their seasons, we have superhard and dramatic fouls, collisions and takedowns on most every play. Lots of official replays. We still have 32 seconds to go, and MTSU is now leading by six ...
ReplyDeleteThese are guys who took and gave a lot of superhard fouls in protection of the best players on their high-school teams, so they know what they're doing here. With two free throws, a steal on which three UAB players ran over an MTSU dribbler and then a banked-in, stepped-back three-pointer, UAB has closed to 81-80 with 17.5 seconds to play ...
ReplyDelete11.7 seconds with MTSU headed to the line ...
ReplyDeleteMiss ... make ... 82-80, MTSU ... timeout, still 11.7 ...
ReplyDeleteOne of the MTSU players comes out of the break with gauze hanging out of his nose like Rocky Balboa coming out of his corner for another round with Apollo Creed ...
ReplyDeleteUAB violent drive ... MTSU violent foul ... two shots to tie ...
ReplyDeleteMake ...
Make ...
3.1 seconds ... MTSU fails to get off a half-court shot in front of its own bench, and I think they all thought the shooter was getting mauled by the UAB defender, which he was ... I'd know, but I'm watching CBS Sports Network on mute because I don't want to actually vomit ... third overtime coming ...
ReplyDeleteUAB is in green trunks with gold trim; MTSU, white trunks with blue trim.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in elementary school and before I knew that Heath was the "Pirates" and black and gold, I had a green-and-yellow jacket that I'd wear while playing a pretend football game in which I'd plunge into or dive over the couch over and over. In these games, I was the star quarterback of the "Heath Hornets."
Blazers take first lead of third overtime: 86-84 ...
ReplyDeleteBlazers extend: 89-84. Timeout, Blue Raiders, 3:28 ...
ReplyDeleteTurnover, MTSU ... UAB with another three! 92-84 ...
ReplyDeleteMTSU putback ... UAB putback ... 94-86 ... UAB player limping to the bench on timeout ...
ReplyDeleteMTSU miss, and UAB fouled on the rebound ... hobbled Blazer returning to floor ... 1:38 to play ... miss and make ... 95-86, UAB ...
ReplyDeleteDeep, deep MTSU three ... 95-89, 1:13 ... UAB inbounds receiver leveled ... free throws coming ...
ReplyDeleteMiss ... make ... 96-89 ...
ReplyDeleteMTSU missed three ... Blazer goes flying across the floor to retrieve the rebound ... only Blue Raiders on the block for the free-throw rebound possibilities ... make and make ... 98-89 ... 53 seconds ...
ReplyDeleteMTSU missed three ... now MTSU raking, whirling and clawing for their lives ... two more missed UAB free throws ... another missed MTSU three ... runout ... BLOCK ... no, goaltending ... that'll do it ...
ReplyDeleteBut wait ... a UAB player is whistled for a technical foul ... MTSU is given four free throws ?!? ... makes all ... 100-93 ... now scores on ensuing possession ... 100-95, 5.3 seconds ... weird ...
ReplyDeleteFour free throws, I'm not kidding.
ReplyDeleteBut then UAB makes two free throws, and then MTSU makes a three, and now we're done: 102-98, Blazers.
ReplyDeleteDingdingding.
"No rematch."
"Don't want one."
Arkansas rolls over LSU, 79 to 62. Arkansas is really good.
ReplyDeleteSo Arkansas will play Texas A & M tomorrow for the championship of the Southwest Conference.
DeleteActually, the old Southwest Conference is probably the best league in the country. Check out these Ken Pom ratings:
Delete4. Baylor
5. Houston
6. Texas Tech
15. Texas
16. Arkansas
36. Texas Christian
51. Texas A & M
57. So. Methodist
223. Rice
It was not a good year for the old Metro 7:
Delete27. Virginia Tech
28. Memphis St.
59. Saint Louis
97. Tulane
100. Cincinnati
107. Florida St.
141. Louisville
Finally, here's the 1984 version of the Sun Belt:
Delete49. Ala-Birmingham
61. Va. Commonwealth
113. W. Kentucky
138. S. Alabama
166. Jacksonville
192. Old Dominion
202. Charlotte
248. S. Florida
Iowa beats Rutgers 84-74, so only Big 10 teams are left in the Big 10 Tournament.
ReplyDeleteTennessee is beating Mississippi State 24-18 with 8:01 left. Tennessee is 23-7, but they played the 8th toughest schedule in the country. (Kentucky played the 34th toughest schedule). Tennessee will eventually be done in by its inability to score, but in the meantime they will give everyone headaches.
ReplyDeleteUT now leads 30-27 with 3:55 left. Now here's how this works. If you root against a team in the tournament because you think their losing will give you a better draw, you are jinxing yourself, and the team that upset the team you were rooting against will upset you as well. But if you root against a team in the tournament because you really hate that team, and not because you're gaming the system, there's no jinx. So I'm free to root against UT.
ReplyDeleteIn Northern Virginia, Hayfield High School, in the southern part of Fairfax County, beats Battlefield High School (the schools in Northern Virginia have extraordinary names) 67 to 47 for the Class 6 championship of the Virginia High School League. Hayfield finishes 32-0, and is champion over about 50 schools in Virginia.
ReplyDeleteHigh school basketball in Virginia is really good, and a single-class tournament would be spectacular. But they don't do that, and the six state tournaments don't get as much attention as the players deserve. Anyway, I'm happy for Hayfield.
DeleteThis game was actually played in Richmond, on the campus of VCU. That's where they usually play the finals -- but only the finals.
DeleteTennessee leads 39-37 at the half. They're interviewing Rick Barnes, and he looks like a guy who is very unhappy that Mississippi State scored 37 points.
ReplyDeleteMissouri has fired Cuonzo Martin after five seasons, which means that next year the SEC will feature only two coaches who have coached the Tennessee Volunteers, instead of the current three. I'm pretty sure that at least one UK player was injured in every game that the Wildcats played against a Martin-coached team, so I'm not sorry to see him go.
ReplyDeleteIn a just world, Cuonzo Martin would be the next coach at Georgetown. He's a good coach who doesn't recruit very well, so he's not a great fit for a program with big expectations. But here in DC, people would really like his scrappy, grinding style.
ReplyDeleteThere are only 7 minutes left in the game, and MSU has scored only 14 points in the second half. UT leads 65-51. I haven't seen any team that plays better defense than UT.
ReplyDeleteTennessee rolls, 72-59. Very impressive. Rick Barnes looks much happier in the post-game interview.
ReplyDeleteAccording to a phone caller from Lynch, Kentucky, to the Dave Baker/Jack Givens pregame show on the UK Radio Network before Kentucky's 77-71 SEC-tournament win over Vanderbilt tonight, the seven-hole, par-3 golf course at Lynch Country Club has the best greens in the state of Kentucky.
ReplyDeleteKentucky hangs on to beat Vandy, 77-71. I actually thought UK played very well, as Vandy was really dialed in and UK had to beat Vandy for the third time this year. And now UK will play UT in what should be a tremendous game.
ReplyDeleteVandy was excellent last night. Great win for UK.
DeleteTexas A & M drills Arkansas 82-64. Joe Lunardi claims that TAMU is still one of the last four out, which (if true) is ludicrous. If nothing else, they should give TAMU the bid that was going to LSU -- the Tigers have finally fired Will Wade.
ReplyDeleteThis will the fourth time that Kentucky has played Tennessee in the SEC Tournament since John Calipari arrived at UK. Three of those games were in the semi-finals; the fourth was in the finals.
ReplyDeleteNot really much to say about UK's performance today, which was terrible. They have now played 80 minutes against UT, and they have pretty much trailed the whole time. UT's guards, especially Kennedy Chandler, are significantly better than UK's guards, and that's the gap between the two teams.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased that UK actually tried all the way to the end. Arkansas had a similar game today against Texas A & M, and the Razorbacks gave up and lost by 18. At least UK didn't quit. But that's not much consolation.
ReplyDeleteHere's the story of the SEC Tournament. There were four really good teams in the SEC: Auburn, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arkansas. Auburn went 9-36 from three-point range against Texas A & M, and were eliminated. Arkansas went 3-18 from three-point range against Texas A & M, and were eliminated. Kentucky went 2-20 from three-point range against Tennessee, and were eliminated.
ReplyDeleteBy contrast, Tennessee was 8-19 from 3-point range against Mississippi State, and 6-15 today against Kentucky. So in two games, the Vols -- who made 35.5 percent of their three's in the regular season, went 14-34, or 41.1 percent. That is winning basketball.
ReplyDeleteIn today's game, you have no chance if you can't make three-point shots. Coaches like Rick Barnes and Buzz Williams will not allow you to score consistently on the inside. They will force you to make jumpers. I thought this UK team had the chance to break through because of its jump-shooting ability. The Cats made 35.8 percent of their three-point shots this year, and have shot well most of the year.
ReplyDeleteBut they were terrible today. Not only were they 2-20 from three-point range, they were only 20-44 from 2-point range. They outrebounded UT 43-38, and took 12 more shots than the Vols. But UT has guys who could make shots -- especially Chandler, and UK did not.
ReplyDeleteThis tournament was played in a hockey arena in Tampa, and that probably didn't help anyone's shooting. Certainly the two finalists -- Tennessee and Texas A & M -- are two teams that are very comfortable with long, violent, physical games. But Tennessee did figure out how to make shots, and Kentucky did not.
ReplyDeleteA comment should also be made about Tshiebwe. Oscar hasn't been in foul trouble for most of the year, so of course it is disappointing that he fouled out in only 25 minutes of play today. But it's hardly surprising in a game featuring Tennessee and with Doug Shows on the whistle. The Cats had to know Oscar would be in foul trouble, and they needed someone to make outside shots. They couldn't find that person, and UT did.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I want to be clear: Tennessee is better than Kentucky. I don't care what the rankings say, or what Pomeroy says, or where anyone gets seeded: Tennessee is better. They have dramatically better guard play, they don't make as many mistakes, and they have enough big guys in the front court to counter-balance Oscar. The Vols didn't take UK seriously the first time they played, and UK taught them a lesson. But the Vols took UK seriously in the next two games, and those games were not competitive.
ReplyDeleteI wish Kentucky all the best in the tournament, and I hope they make a deep run. But this really hurts.
ReplyDeleteOne more point: UK actually scored fewer points in this game than they did in Knoxville. They got 63 points in that game, and 62 points today.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that was total yuck. I go along with all of this.
ReplyDeleteUK is number 3 in Ken Pom going into the NCAA's. Tennessee is number 7. Murray is number 27. Memphis is number 28. That's all the teams from Region 8 that got in.
ReplyDeleteSorry. Chattanooga got in. The Mocs are number 72 on Ken Pom.
DeleteTexas A & M lost by 15 points to Tennessee -- 65-50 -- and the Aggies did NOT get in. They are 43 on Ken Pom -- ahead of Marquette, Iowa State, and Notre Dame, all of whom got bids.
ReplyDeleteThe big news, of course, is that if UK and Murray State both win in the first round, they would meet each other for the first time ever.
ReplyDeleteThis is a huge deal in my family--my father-in-law and sister-in-law are both Murray State grads who watch most Racer games and every UK games. Any time Murray State wins, I ask them if they are still a teachers' college or got their university status yet. Of course, it was noted last night that I should be glad that WKU is going to be undefeated in the NCAA tournaments this year.
DeleteKen Pom gives UK a 91 percent chance against St. Peter's, and he gives Murray a 45 percent chance against San Francisco. If he's right, there's a 40.95 percent chance that UK will play Murray next Saturday.
ReplyDeleteDick Vitale says the Final Four will be Gonzaga, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Iowa. He says the Final Game will be Kentucky vs. Iowa. He says Kentucky will be the National Champions. I will say right now that if these predictions hold true, the 2022 NCAA Basketball Tournament will be my favorite sporting event of all time.
ReplyDeleteHooray for Dick Vitale!
DeleteESPN just told us that the NCAA Women's Tournament can now use "MARCH MADNESS" as part of its branding. I had no idea that they couldn't do that before.
ReplyDeleteJust unfathomably stupid--in addition to being wrong. You saw all the weight-room stuff last year, didn't you? No shocker, but still.
DeleteI am fortunate to have received a gift subscription to The Athletic, and here's a good story in part about the weight-room deal from last year.
Delete