Jess Wynn, to do the impossible

[Wayne23]

We start with #21, #1 seed Duke. We are the #8 seed in an 8 team tourney, which is nonsense. Duke is 5-2, with a bad loss and no impressive wins. They have some talent, especially inside.

12/9: 34-31 at the half.

A real battle. We expected trouble inside but we’re holding our own there. Their guards are doing some damage, as is their bench. This is a war.

More of a war in the 2nd, 75-75 at the end. OT.

We’re taking great care of the ball but our D is not getting it done, they’re shooting 46% to our 38. Tark had his first bad night for us in his two years here. Fouled out with 3:09 left, playing only 17 minutes. Amazingly enough we’re hanging in. Mel Wyck is doing a great job in his place.

OT starts with them hitting a three. Then we shut them down completely, winning the overtime 11-3, and the game 86-78.

+4, +6, 38-44%, fouls were 17-23.

29, 11, 2 for Asp, 27, 2, 4, 2 for Lowe, 6, 11, 2 for Qual, 9, 5, 3, 2 for Wyck.

7-1 Marquette in the semifinals. Decent PG but the team doesn’t look
strong.

12/10: 39-23.

Great 1st half. We’re dominating.

We get 50 in the 2nd, 89-58 at the end.

+11, +9, 49-35%.

16, 10, 2, 1, 1 for Asp, 17, 4, 1, 1 for Qual, 9, 11, 7, 3 for Young, 15, 6, 6 and 6 blocks for Tark but he fouled out again. Played 29 min. 13 each for Lowe and Wyck.

#8, RPI #1.

#15 Wake Forest, 7-2, for the title. They’re the #2 seed. We beat them by 8 in November. Their PG lit us up and we turned it over 18 times. We know what we need to do.

12/11: 32-32 at the half.

This is a good team. Both of their guards are hitting shots. We’re controlling the boards and taking care of the ball, we just need to get out on the shooters.

We do, 71-62. Got the lead to 16 and hung on, never letting them get closer than 6 after the 12 minute mark.

+11, +1, 52-37%, fouls 17-22. We won it at the line, hitting 10 more free throws.

19, 4, 3, 1, 3 for Tark. He had 4 fouls but played 30 min. and did not foul out. 15, 9, 3, 2 for Asp, 10, 6, 4, 1 for Young, 7 each for Qual and Wyck.

We're 10-0.

[Wayne23]

4-4 Gonzaga is in. They’ve played a tough schedule but have lost to the good teams. 2 and 3 can score but they don’t get much help.

12/13: 27-23 at halftime.

We’re not shooting well.

Still don’t shoot well in the 2nd but great D gets us through, 52-41.

+14, +5, 35-41%, fouls 6-16. Fundamentals did it for us.

14, 4, 3, 3, 1 for Asp, 11, 5, 1, 2 for young, 10, 6, 4, 1 for Tark, 11 RBs for Qual.

Tark is not blocking as many shots as last year but he’s still #1 in the country, #4 in assists.

At #14, 6-4 Kentucky next. They’re struggling but they’ve played a very tough schedule. They play great D and their back court is excellent. They can be a little sloppy. This game is a real challenge.

12/16: 27-40 at the half.

We never led in the 1st. Their 1, 2, and 5 are pretty much scoring at will, we’re +2 RB and we’ve turned it over 15 times. We’ll double the ball and hopefully, move without the ball on O. If I put in much more than that I’ll just confuse my guys. We’re not turning them over enough and I think doubling will accomplish that.

Great 2nd half, 78-66. We totally dominate, 51-26, first catching up and then building the lead to as much as 18. We turn it over 4 times and force 15 TOS, and we get LOTS of open looks.

+9, +2, 46-49% (but 52-42% in the 2nd).

22, 6, 1, 1, 1 for Young, 19, 4, 4, 2 for Lowe, , the other 3 starters were all in double figures. Great win!

#4, RPI #1. Highest any of my teams has ever been ranked.

One more pre-conference game, at #25, 8-3 Pitt. Their 2 is as good a scorer as anyone in the game but they have 2 really bad losses and no quality wins. They aren’t deep, if we stop the SG we should be fine. Still, that’s a tall order.

12/20: 30-26 at the half.

Not stopping the PG and just awful with the ball, 16 TOs. I jump all over the guys, especially Tark, about the TOS and remind the guys about the plan to double the SG, which isn’t working.

The 2nd is back and forth. At one point we’re down 8, then we come back and go up by 12 with 4:22 left.

They mount one more comeback and when they get the ball with :12 left we’re up 3. They get it to their SG but we’re on him with two guys and his three point attempt goes way long, 63-60. Whew!

+12, -3 (TOs were 24-21 in a terribly sloppy game- or maybe it was just good D on both sides). We won at the line again, fouls were 9-18, and we made 10 more free throws on 16 more attempts.

19, 6, 7, 2, 6 for Tark but 11 TOs, 16, 6 for Asp.

A perfect 13-0 going into conference play, and we’ve beaten 5 ranked teams.

[CoachC]

UDubb and Long Island in the final 4.. i called it here first!

[Wayne23]

Wash. is certainly looking god to this point. #3 UCLA and #1 Arizona in the next 3 games so that will tell me a lot about how good we are.

[PointGuard]

The real Huskies are going to hire you to replace Lorenzo Romar.

[CoachC]

heh, ever notice that stand out guards wind up making the worst basketball coaches? they all want to make their teams to be 15 guys in their own image.

[Wayne23]

The old story too that lousy players make better coaches and superstars almost never make it as coaches in any sport.

[CoachC]

that is probably true as well. i remember when willis reed took over the head coaching job at creighton. he absolutely stunk.

[CoachC]

which of those northeaster pac 12 schools has dana altman now, PG?

[CoachC]

nm, i googled it... Oregon. Pac 12 better watch out once he gets his system where he wants it.