Much like college football, college hoops has "show me month", "moving month" and "closing month" (I guess April is "I can't believe we're still playing month" and November is "we're playing again? month" with December being "I've run out of catchy titles month"). And the area schools have shown us quite a bit in the last few weeks-- with just about everyone (sorry again, Howard) dreaming of a magical march in March.
Maryland (11-6, 1-2) had two prime opportunities to upend a top ten team last week-- and lost at #1 Duke as well as #7 Villanova. Three point shooting (2-11 against the Wildcats) and free throw shooting (combined 19-36 against the Blue Devils and Nova) continue to be eyesores as the Terps missed a chance to lock down a "sit up and notice" victory for the committee.
Around the ACC-- Virginia (ten point lead at Duke) and Virginia Tech (sixteen point lead at UNC) are off to middling starts in league play... with a wide-open conference after the Blue Devils (ouch-- did anyone see the Tar Heels get roasted by 20 at Georgia Tech?) there are opportunities to play their way into position-- but not if one coughs up leads like they have.
Georgetown (14-5, 3-4) learned that the state of New Jersey can be a friendly place come Big East season-- back to back wins over Rutgers and Seton Hall has the Hoyas back near .500... a split or heaven forbid would have gotten the NIT drums beating. GU continues to live and die by its perimeter shooting-- which in the rough and tumble Big East can turn every which way.
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse fell for the first time this winter (at #5 Pitt) after answering a 19-0 run with a 17-0 run of their own... and this was minus a banged in the head Kris Joseph. After a Saturday matinee against #7 Villanova-- the Orange have a somewhat softer slate (Seton Hall, South Florida, Marquette). I can't wait to see how TCU fits into the hoops schedule.
George Washington (10-7, 3-0) remains unbeaten in Atlantic Ten play-- but was schooled on the boards by Harvard at the Smith Center Saturday. How legit is their conference mark? GW's victims (LaSalle, Fordham and St. Joes) are a combined 0-10 in league play.
George Mason (12-5, 4-2) ended a two game conference road losing streak with a victory at Northeastern. The Patriots have just two home tilts until February-- but four of their five games are against schools with non-winning CAA records.
Womens hoop moment-- Maryland is 1-2 in the ACC ... and in the mix was a bewildering loss to Boston College. The Terps went 1-for-20 from three point range and 12-for-27 at the free throw line. BC attempted 57 shots; Maryland missed 57 shots (28-85). After that hiccup the club took care of business at Clemson... but the team needs one of its perimeter players to step up and make opponents honest.
Broadcasting bit-- I announced the BC game on Terps TV with legendary Terp Laura Harper-- #15 is currently rehabbing her knee after microfracture surgery and hopes to catch on with a WNBA team this summer. Crystal Langhorne and Emery Wallace dropped by to cheer on their former teammate-- and Harper handled herself well on the mic (although her point guard turned the ball over a few times). And there's no truth to the rumors "Miss Harper" demanded skittles in the green room seperated by color.
American (12-6, 2-1) bounced back from a tough loss against Patriot League leading Bucknell with a nine point win at Colgate. The Hammer/Anvil combo of Vlad/Stephen continues to propel the Eagles towards a home court quarterfinal game.
Howard (2-15, 0-5) has the famed worst to first weekend ahead... a trip to tied for last Florida A&M before facing league-leading Bethune Cookman. The road has not been kind to the Bison: their closest game away from DC's been a 14 point loss.
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