Josh Dooley
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You’re Nuts: Which remaining NCAA Tournament team are you rooting for?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Which Sweet 16 team has your backing?
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
March Madness has been... well, madness again this year. No big surprise, right? For my money, the NCAA Tournament – men’s or women’s, pick your poison – is the best, most exciting, multi-day sporting event there is. It’s just a vibe, really. Like the Olympics or the World Cup but significantly better. Because there’s no race-walking, sailing, synchronized swimming, or perpetual U.S. disappointment.
And speaking of disappointment: How about them Buckeyes!? Yeesh. Thanks to a shocking upset of the Lady Bucks at home, Ohio State no longer has a team in “the” tournament. I mean, sure, the men have advanced to the Elite 8 of the NIT, but c’mon... For all intents and purposes, the college basketball season is over for OSU fans.
But that doesn’t mean we should stop enjoying the tournament(s). Whether you have gambling interests or a “backup school” that you’ve always rooted for, there is still plenty of fun to be had. Or, in my case, money to be lost. I’m not dwelling on it, though. I promise. Let’s just get on with this edition You’re Nuts.
With both Ohio State squads out of major title contention, Gene and I have now hitched – or decided to hitch – our respective wagons to other teams. And for me, this was not a difficult choice or decision. It never was. It never has been. Because I have rooted for North Carolina since I was a kid. Probably more so than OSU, if I’m being completely honest. So I am riding with the Tar Heels, just like I have been for 30+ years.
My love of, or for, North Carolina goes back to my obsession with Michael Jordan. When I became obsessed with MJ, I became a fan of UNC by proxy. The program’s history, the legendary players, their powder blue jerseys, the whole deal. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that the Heels have historically won a ton of games.
Conversely, Ohio State was in the midst of a real rough patch when I was beginning to develop my fandom and learn about the game. Quite frankly, they (OSU) stunk in the mid-90s. The end of the Randy Ayers era was about as bad as it gets. And during that same rough patch for the Buckeyes, North Carolina brought in Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison. From then on, my allegiance was at least split.
Not only have I always sort of rooted for UNC, but the program has also never given me a reason not to... That seems like I just used a quadruple negative, I apologize... But the Heels win, they bring in players that are easy to root for, they play in a great environment, and they’ve maintained a special kind of continuity.
Since 1997, when the great Dean Smith retired, North Carolina has had four coaches — all with strong ties to Smith. Bill Guthridge was an assistant of Smith’s who took over upon the latter’s retirement, while Matt Doherty, Roy Williams, and Hubert Davis all played and/or worked for the legendary coach. I mean, how freaking cool is that!? And with the exception of Doherty, they’ve all had great success.
What I appreciate and/or enjoy about UNC’s recent teams is that they’ve been comprised of players who stick around and embrace being a Tar Heel. Not a lot of one-and-doners in Chapel Hill. And for some reason, I really like that. Call me old school or a traditionalist, but I will always cling to the pageantry of college sports, even if decision makers and people in power seem to be doing all they can to ruin them.
So I guess this has been a long explanation of why I am rooting for a 1-seed with a reasonable chance to win it all. But don’t call me a bandwagon fan. At least I can honestly say that I have rooted for North Carolina for decades. Go Heels!
Unlike Josh, I actually have enjoyed watching the Ohio State men play in the NIT. Truth be told, I didn’t watch a ton of the Buckeyes while Chris Holtmann was at the helm this season, as it was clear the team was following pretty much the same exact script from the past few years under Holtmann. I have, however, watched every game since Jake Diebler took over, and while it was disappointing that Ohio State ultimately did not make the NCAA Tournament, it is clear that the team is playing better and with more energy under its new head coach.
On that note, Ohio State actually has a really good chance to make the Final Four (I know it isn’t officially called that, but let me live) of the NIT. The Buckeyes will play host to Georgia on Tuesday night, a team that went just 6-12 in the SEC this season before pulling off an upset of Wake Forest on Sunday night — the No. 1 seed in the region. With the Demon Deacons now off the board and Diebler’s team getting to host another game in the tournament, a win for Ohio State would pit them up against the winner of Seton Hall and UNLV for a spot in the NIT Championship game.
While I will continue to root on the Buckeyes in the NIT, the NCAA Tournament has also been a lot of fun to watch. There have been a ton of great upsets and storylines, as well as breakout players and Cinderellas to root for. With no real dog in the fight for me for any of the teams remaining in the Sweet 16, I am always a fan of the underdog, and so I will hitch my wagon to the lowest remaining seed in the field: the No. 11 NC State Wolfpack.
NC State began its March Madness run with an upset of No. 6 Texas Tech. While many lower seeded programs generally rely on one star player putting up big numbers to win games in the Tournament, the Wolfpack defeated the Red Raiders 80-67 with a complete team effort. Four different players scored at least 16 points in the contest, led by Ben Middlebrooks’ career-high 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting and an impressive 9-of-10 at the free throw line. As a team, NC State shot over 50% from the floor.
The Wolfpack continued their run with a 79-73 win over Jack Gohlke and fellow double-digit seed Oakland on Saturday. While all five starters for NC State reached double-figures in scoring, it was forward DJ Burns Jr. leading the way this time around with a team-high 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting. The 6-foot-9 Burns recorded a double-digit with 11 rebounds, as he and Mohamed Diarra (13 rebounds) helped beat the Golden Grizzlies 46-34 on the boards.
NC State will face its toughest test yet in the Sweet 16, as they will now take on No. 2 seed Marquette on Friday. The Golden Eagles are a tough squad, led by Kam Jones (17.1 PPG) and Tyler Kolek (15.3 PPG). Marquette narrowly avoided an upset in its previous game against Colorado, with the two teams tied at 74-74 with less than four minutes remaining. A three-point jumper with 2:54 to go put the Golden Eagles up for good, and the Wolf Pack will now enter Friday’s matchup as 6.5-point underdogs.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Which Sweet 16 team has your backing?
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: Which remaining NCAA Tournament team are you rooting for?
Josh’s Take
March Madness has been... well, madness again this year. No big surprise, right? For my money, the NCAA Tournament – men’s or women’s, pick your poison – is the best, most exciting, multi-day sporting event there is. It’s just a vibe, really. Like the Olympics or the World Cup but significantly better. Because there’s no race-walking, sailing, synchronized swimming, or perpetual U.S. disappointment.
And speaking of disappointment: How about them Buckeyes!? Yeesh. Thanks to a shocking upset of the Lady Bucks at home, Ohio State no longer has a team in “the” tournament. I mean, sure, the men have advanced to the Elite 8 of the NIT, but c’mon... For all intents and purposes, the college basketball season is over for OSU fans.
But that doesn’t mean we should stop enjoying the tournament(s). Whether you have gambling interests or a “backup school” that you’ve always rooted for, there is still plenty of fun to be had. Or, in my case, money to be lost. I’m not dwelling on it, though. I promise. Let’s just get on with this edition You’re Nuts.
With both Ohio State squads out of major title contention, Gene and I have now hitched – or decided to hitch – our respective wagons to other teams. And for me, this was not a difficult choice or decision. It never was. It never has been. Because I have rooted for North Carolina since I was a kid. Probably more so than OSU, if I’m being completely honest. So I am riding with the Tar Heels, just like I have been for 30+ years.
My love of, or for, North Carolina goes back to my obsession with Michael Jordan. When I became obsessed with MJ, I became a fan of UNC by proxy. The program’s history, the legendary players, their powder blue jerseys, the whole deal. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that the Heels have historically won a ton of games.
Conversely, Ohio State was in the midst of a real rough patch when I was beginning to develop my fandom and learn about the game. Quite frankly, they (OSU) stunk in the mid-90s. The end of the Randy Ayers era was about as bad as it gets. And during that same rough patch for the Buckeyes, North Carolina brought in Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison. From then on, my allegiance was at least split.
Not only have I always sort of rooted for UNC, but the program has also never given me a reason not to... That seems like I just used a quadruple negative, I apologize... But the Heels win, they bring in players that are easy to root for, they play in a great environment, and they’ve maintained a special kind of continuity.
Since 1997, when the great Dean Smith retired, North Carolina has had four coaches — all with strong ties to Smith. Bill Guthridge was an assistant of Smith’s who took over upon the latter’s retirement, while Matt Doherty, Roy Williams, and Hubert Davis all played and/or worked for the legendary coach. I mean, how freaking cool is that!? And with the exception of Doherty, they’ve all had great success.
What I appreciate and/or enjoy about UNC’s recent teams is that they’ve been comprised of players who stick around and embrace being a Tar Heel. Not a lot of one-and-doners in Chapel Hill. And for some reason, I really like that. Call me old school or a traditionalist, but I will always cling to the pageantry of college sports, even if decision makers and people in power seem to be doing all they can to ruin them.
So I guess this has been a long explanation of why I am rooting for a 1-seed with a reasonable chance to win it all. But don’t call me a bandwagon fan. At least I can honestly say that I have rooted for North Carolina for decades. Go Heels!
Gene’s Take
Unlike Josh, I actually have enjoyed watching the Ohio State men play in the NIT. Truth be told, I didn’t watch a ton of the Buckeyes while Chris Holtmann was at the helm this season, as it was clear the team was following pretty much the same exact script from the past few years under Holtmann. I have, however, watched every game since Jake Diebler took over, and while it was disappointing that Ohio State ultimately did not make the NCAA Tournament, it is clear that the team is playing better and with more energy under its new head coach.
On that note, Ohio State actually has a really good chance to make the Final Four (I know it isn’t officially called that, but let me live) of the NIT. The Buckeyes will play host to Georgia on Tuesday night, a team that went just 6-12 in the SEC this season before pulling off an upset of Wake Forest on Sunday night — the No. 1 seed in the region. With the Demon Deacons now off the board and Diebler’s team getting to host another game in the tournament, a win for Ohio State would pit them up against the winner of Seton Hall and UNLV for a spot in the NIT Championship game.
While I will continue to root on the Buckeyes in the NIT, the NCAA Tournament has also been a lot of fun to watch. There have been a ton of great upsets and storylines, as well as breakout players and Cinderellas to root for. With no real dog in the fight for me for any of the teams remaining in the Sweet 16, I am always a fan of the underdog, and so I will hitch my wagon to the lowest remaining seed in the field: the No. 11 NC State Wolfpack.
NC State began its March Madness run with an upset of No. 6 Texas Tech. While many lower seeded programs generally rely on one star player putting up big numbers to win games in the Tournament, the Wolfpack defeated the Red Raiders 80-67 with a complete team effort. Four different players scored at least 16 points in the contest, led by Ben Middlebrooks’ career-high 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting and an impressive 9-of-10 at the free throw line. As a team, NC State shot over 50% from the floor.
The Wolfpack continued their run with a 79-73 win over Jack Gohlke and fellow double-digit seed Oakland on Saturday. While all five starters for NC State reached double-figures in scoring, it was forward DJ Burns Jr. leading the way this time around with a team-high 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting. The 6-foot-9 Burns recorded a double-digit with 11 rebounds, as he and Mohamed Diarra (13 rebounds) helped beat the Golden Grizzlies 46-34 on the boards.
NC State will face its toughest test yet in the Sweet 16, as they will now take on No. 2 seed Marquette on Friday. The Golden Eagles are a tough squad, led by Kam Jones (17.1 PPG) and Tyler Kolek (15.3 PPG). Marquette narrowly avoided an upset in its previous game against Colorado, with the two teams tied at 74-74 with less than four minutes remaining. A three-point jumper with 2:54 to go put the Golden Eagles up for good, and the Wolf Pack will now enter Friday’s matchup as 6.5-point underdogs.
Continue reading...