March enters like a Lion and ends like a Lamb? I don't know about the lion part but the hopes and dreams of college basketball teams end with a thud.
Georgetown saw its March slide conclude with a 74-56 loss to VCU... as the Rams were busy transforming themselves from "the worst at-large team ever to make the even-expanded field" to Cinderella Darlings. Seniors Austin Freeman and Chris Wright closed out their careers shooting a combined 6 of 27 and 0-13 from three point range. While Wright was injured during the five game flameout the disappearance of Julian Vaughn (2-21 from the field during the swoon) was equally as debilitating. Bring on the Hollis Thompson era.
Alma Mater Update-- a rough finish for the Orange saw Syracuse stumble in the second round 66-62 to Marquette (a team they lost to earlier this year) with a blown backcourt call to feed my conspiracy friends. How do you lose to a team coached by Curly of the Three Stooges? Maybe Larry Fine's a relative of Bernie Fine-- I don't know. Still, a tough way for a season that had quite a bit of optimism surrounding it (18-0 start and a #3 ranking) to end.
Big Least? After getting a record 11 schools into the NCAA Tournament, the Big East went 9-9 with just two schools advancing to the Sweet Sixteen-- UConn and Marquette. I wasn't a fan of bracketing conference schools together in first weekend foursomes... and anyone could have figured slumping Villanova and Georgetown wouldn't stay long... and underachievers Pitt and Notre Dame... well you get the picture.
George Mason after a last-second thriller against Villanova but couldn't keep up with the #1 team in the nation... slipping to Ohio State 98-66. Anytime David Lighty lights you up for 7 of 7 from three point range-- it's not going to be a good night. The Patriots put a 27-7 season to bed with plenty of talent coming back next year... as Cam Long gets quite a senior sendoff.
The Capital of Basketball? Evidently Richmond did rise again-- with a pair of teams in the sweet sixteen. While VCU is in the Regional Semifinals for the first time ever, Richmond is more than an occasional upstart in the big dance- although this is the schools second ever trip to the second weekend. And who wouldn't want to see the Rams and Spiders square off Sunday?
Snubbed-- from the NIT quarterfinals... Virginia Tech had cause to say they belonged in the NCAA's. Unfortunately, they didn't play their way into the Tournament-- and played their way out of the NIT with a home loss to Wichita State.
Maryland Women's Moment-- the tone was set from the opening tipoff when Georgetown stole the ball from Anjale Barrett... the Hoyas jumped out to an 11-0 lead, closed the first half on an 11-3 run and began the second half on an 11-2 run. Other than that... Sugar Rodgers was unstoppable (21 of her 34 points came in the first half on 6 of 8 three point shooting) and Georgetown advances with a 79-57 win. Maryland regroups after a 24-8 season with everybody coming back this fall.
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