Jess Wynn, to do the impossible

[Wayne23]

3/3: Play in day. 3 upsets. We host again this year.

We’ll play #9 seed Prairie View, 12-16, 6-10. Beat them by 13 at home. Won their last 2 after a bad stretch. They are not impressive but we need to play.

3/4: 44-25 at the half.

Turning it over but everything else is solid.

80-58. We continued to turn it over but it didn’t matter. It could in future games so I’m working on it.

+8, even (18 TOs), 54-38%.

Starting 5 all in double figures. 10 assists for Brin, 12 RBs for Joad.

#10, RPI #12.

11-18, 5-11, last in the conf. Grambling is next. 5-4 for their last 9, including beating us. 6-14 before that. Not sure what changed but they’re a different team. Starting C sprained his ankle. He may play but how well? We should win easily but then that’s what I thought last time.

3/5: 35-28 at the half.

They never led and we were up 12 at one point but they got back into it. I’m all over my guys about giving up 7 threes, 4 of them late.

We get serious, 75-58.

+23, +3 (11 TOs, MUCH better!), 36-42%, fouls were 6-23 and we made 19 more free throws, which was more than the difference.

24, 5 for Skif, 14, 15, 1 for Joad, 9, 2, 8, 2 for Brin, 6, 10 for Herr, 8, 6, 1, 1, 2 for Fenn.

We’ll play 6th place, 18-12, 8-8 Jackson State for the title. Won their last 4 but gave up points in 3 of them. Not an awful team but if we play we should be fine.

3/6: 43-12 (!) at the half.

We did everything well.

I play everyone in the 2nd and no starter plays more than 20 minutes. 79-47 at the end.

+18, -1 (Only 10 TOs), 51-31%.

One of those nights when we simply couldn’t lose.

21, 2, 1 for Skif, 12, 3, 6 for Brin, 8, 7, 1 for Herr.

Now we wait. I can see a 4 or 5 seed.

We’re 27-4, 14-2. #8, RPI #11.

[Wayne23]

3/12: Today’s the day. Lots of teams ranked above us lost which could help.
Not in the East.

#6 in the Midwest. Outrageous! #6? We’ll play #11 Wagner, 22-8.

3/14: Alabama A & M won in the 1st round of the NIT.

3/15: Jackson State lost by one in the first round of the CHI.

Wagner is 22-8, 12-6, won the conf., won the tourney. 7-1 in their last 8. They do some things well but if we play our game we should be fine.

3/16: 27-17 at the half.

Great D. NOT happy with 13 TOs. We’d be up 20 if we were taking care of the rock.

We fix it, only 5 TOs in the 2nd and we run away and hide, 66-38. The D was terrific.

+23, -4, 42-25%.

32, 6 for Skif, 8, 8, 1 for Joad.

At #3 seed, #10 ranked Texas. Ridiculous for a 2nd round match. The committee plain screwed us and I haven’t been quiet about it. Texas is 25-7, 14-4, won the conf. and the tourney. Won their last 8. Best team we’ve played all year. Great inside. We’ll need to be at the top of our form to have a chance.

3/18: 37-31 in the 1st.

We totally controlled the boards against a big, tough front line. We’re doing what we need to do, now we need to keep it up. We need to take better care of the ball, 12 TOs.

We not only kept it up, we crushed them, 70-49 and it wasn’t that close. Best we’ve played all year.

+17, -6 (but only 6 TOs in the 2nd, +1), 49-33%. Fouls were 10-18.

18, 6 for Skif, 10, 8, 2 for Joad, 15, 4, 5, 1, 5 for Brin, 11, 2 for Fenn, 4, 7, 2, 1, 1 for Herr. Dad suggested we send all 5 to the boards and it worked to neutralize their inside advantage.

Ala. A & M lost in the 2nd round of the NIT. We’re the last playing from our conf.

[Wayne23]

It doesn’t get easier, #2 seed, #7 ranked Michigan State, 27-5, 13-3. Finished 2nd in conf., lost in the title game. Starting SF flunked off the
team and 4 of their 5 losses have come since. 1 and 5 are outstanding but not much else. Most nights it’s enough. We need to play the way we did against Texas which is asking a lot. Dad helped with the prep.

3/23: 33-38 at the half.

These guys are TOUGH. We’re playing well and still down 5. Their 1 and 5 have been all but unstoppable and they’re too quick for us, causing LOTS of TOs. We’ll double the 1 and 5 for the 2nd half and hope for the best.

Nope, they were just too good, 57-73. There’s no shame losing to a better team and that’s what they were.

+17, -8, 33-48%, fouls were 15-7.

23, 6, 1, 2, 1 for Skif in his last game for us, 11, 10, 1, 2 for Fenn in his last game. 6, 11, 1, 1, for Joad who’s the only guy who gets minutes who will be back.

I’m proud of what we accomplished this season. More about that later.

Final four will be #5 Indiana vs. #2 UConn, and unranked Kansas vs. #23 Georgia Tech. I’ll be there job hunting. I am so through with the swamp and the rednecks.

4/1: Indiana by 3, Georgia Tech by 21.

4/3: Indiana by 10 for the title.

Lots of encouraging conversations.

4/4: Awards: Tim Herr was Defensive POY, but didn’t even make 2nd team, which makes no sense. Skif, Fenn and Joad made 1st team. I got COY.

4/9: Offers: Kansas State? Washington? Virginia Tech? Southern Illinois? Northwestern (NO) ? We’re going, it’s just a question of where. Pacific Northwest is very tempting, clearly the early favorite. Hm. Visited all of them, offered by all. LONG talk with dad. Down to Washington and Kansas State.

Going to Washington.

4/16: Hiring a new staff. We have some $ to work with so let’s see how we do. Dad flew out to help with the whole start up thing. Really happy with our hires, veteran staff with high level experience.

4/23: Ask for $. Nope. Okay, ready to start a new season. It will take a couple of years but I’m ready for that.

#s: Off. 32, Def. 48, Recruit 52, Scout (my weakness) 6, Player Dev. 40,
Reputation 38. 202-55, .786.

[PointGuard]

"Bow Down to Washington" (UW fight song).

Send me a salmon from the Pike Steet Market.

[CoachC]

good luck at George Dubb.. i mean U Dubb

[Wayne23]

I think you have the wrong Washington, Coach. Or maybe the wrong George! Come to think of it I guess I have the wrong Huskies! Oh well, Dad did pretty darn well with those other Huskies so maybe I can do okay with these.

[CoachC]

well one of them would have been happy to chop down all the trees in the other, so all is good.

[CoachC]

yeah go Northern Illinois Huskies!

[Wayne23]

OR... Northeastern Huskies.

[CoachC]

Or Chatanooga Chihuahuas