Hereafter

[Wayne23]

1/26: AT 19-9, 12-5, 2nd place Minnesota. They're tough to beat at home. On paper we have a big edge and we're favored by 3 ½, but they're at home and they'll be way up for this one. They score their points outside but they rebound decently. We need to play way better than we did in our last one.

1/27: Up 4 after 10. Up 4 at the half. Our guards each have 10. +11 RBs. But we're shooting only 31.6%, are -1`0 in the paint and -9 on bench scoring. Stok has 3 fouls. Up 5 with 10 left; it's been close all the way.

93-99. Our D was non-existent in the 2nd when we gave up 64.

25, 3, 4 for Sams, 19, 2, 7 for Berr, 12, 11 for Stok.

They shot 58.8% to our 40%. -22 in the paint. -21 on bench scoring. 20 TOs.

Our lead is down to one over Minnesota with 2 to play, both at home.

1/28: “So dad, it sure looks like you and Millie are a couple...”

“Yep.”

“So?”

“It's nice. I'm enjoying it.”

“Good. I think this is something you need to take your focus off of basketball now and then.”

[Wayne23]

2/28: 3rd place Ohio ST, 18-9, 12-6, is here. They won by 6 at their place. It's their back court vs. our front court. Their back court beat us last time but they also out rebounded us and held their own in the paint.

3/1: “This is a big one guys. Play some D!”

We fall behind early. Then we come back. Tied after 10. Down 1 at the half. Our guards have zero points- that includes the subs. We're shooting 27%; fortunately they're shooting only 35.5%. -10 RBs.

“You guys need to wake up on O. Move without the damn ball and get open!”

Down 1 with 10 to play. We need a run!

67-58. We got a mini-run and it was enough.

22, 7 for Stok, 11, 10 for Tuck, 10, 7 for Coll. 5 TOs to 18. +22 in the paint. Their guards totally out scored ours, but the PG had 10 TOs.

1 game lead over Minnesota with one to play but it's against a bottom feeder.

Millie and I went to her place after the game and just hung out. I was tired and hungry. I'm not big on junk food but we picked up wings on the way to her place and they were great.

At this point in the season I'm wiped out. Everyone is. We try to get the kids fired up for the last couple of games and it's a real challenge. Then the regular season ends, you get some time off, and the excitement of being in the post season energizes everyone. But now? Just exhausted. I fell asleep on Millie's coach. I guess she threw a blanket over me and I never moved until 6:30 in the morning. She was already up so we had breakfast. I went home changed my clothes and went for a run, then went to work. Oh, Millie was very understanding. I apologized but she “got it.”

[Wayne23]

3/2: We end the regular season at home with 12-17, 7-12 Northwestern. This is a team we should beat easily; we won by 10 at their place. We need the win to clinch 1st place in conf.

3/3: Early lead. Up 7 after 10. Up 12 at the half. 14, 4 for Stok. +8 at the line. 3 TOs to 11. No one in foul trouble. Up 7 with 10 to go. Big run!

78-65. 22, 10 for Stok, 12, 5, 7 for Sams, 11 each for Tuck and Coll.

7 fewer TOs, +7 from the line.

Minnesota lost so we win the Big Ten by 2.

25-4, 16-4, NET #3.

+12.7 PPG, +6.1 RBs, -6.0 TOs (#1 with 11.0). +2.7 assists. Sams leads us with 16.4 PPG, Berr is 2nd with 13.8, leads in assists with 6.0. Tuck gets 8.9 RBs.

“This is so exciting! Of course not to you. You've won national titles.”

“It's still exciting. There's something very special about the post season. It's really what this is all about for good teams.”

“I can't wait!”

I asked Millie if she'd like to travel with us for the Big Ten tourney, and then the NCAA.

Her eyes really lit up then she said she'd need to think about it.

[Wayne23]

4/5: We red shirted frosh SG Zac Pell. He just declared for the draft. We picked up one recruit guard and are after another. We need to get the 2nd one.

“It's too soon, Jed. Thanks for the offer. It really means a lot, but it's too soon.”

No doubt she's right. She'll watch the games from home and we'll talk as soon as I can get free after each game, assuming we play more than one, which we'd better!

3/8: We play #8 seed Iowa, 19-11, 11-9, in the quarter finals. They won by 9 at their place then we won by 34 at ours. We think we're better all around despite the loss on their court.

3/9: We jump out to a quick lead. They come back. Down 4 after 10. Down 7 at the half.

They're shooting 65%. Bench scoring is 7-24.

“Well, I guess you guys like Penn ST's cafeteria food. Looks like you'll be eating it tomorrow.”

We take a lead 5 minutes into the 2nd half. Up 10 with 10 to play.

73-65 but we led by as many as 13 late.

15, 7 for Tuck, 13, 6 for Stok, 12, 5 for Hern. The big guys came up big in the 2nd half. 9 TOs to 21. -14 from the bench.

[Wayne23]

3/10: Tonight we play #4 seed, #25 ranked Illinois, 21-9, 13-7. We won by 21 at their place, holding them to 27.8% shooting. Their guards both average 18+ PPG. They can play, despite the off night last time we met.

3/10: Game time! We seem to be ready.

Close early. Down 1 after 10. Down 2 at halftime. 10,4 for Stok, between 3 and 7 for 6 others. They are outshooting us by only 2.7% but are +5 at the line, +8 in the paint. Tuck has 3 fouls, as does his man.

“You guys are supposed to have an edge inside. Where is it!”

Down 11 with 10 left. We're not stopping them outside. They go on a big run.

79-91. We didn't play 2nd half D... again!

Balanced scoring by us but -15 with their starting guards and ours, and that was the difference, along with points in the paint, -14.

This will hurt our NCAA seeding.

Millie and I spoke after the game. I'm not a sore loser but I wasn't in the most cheerful mood.

“I guess I'll need to get used to how games affect you.”

“I'm sorry. I just get so focused. When it doesn't go as it should it just frustrates the hell out of me. We're a much better team and we didn't do the things we should be doing at this point in the season.”

“I have no doubt that's frustrating. I felt it too, and I'm only a fan.”

“I'll try to be better company.”

“Get some rest. I'll see you when you get back.”

[Wayne23]

3/11: Illinois beat #2 seed Minnesota to win the Big Ten tourney.

3/12: 26-5, 16-4, NET #3.

#1 South, vs. #16 seed NJIT, 16-16. This should be a walkover.

3/17: We get out of the gate very well. Up 12 after 10. Up 12 at the half. 15 for Berr, 10 for Hern.

“You should be beating these guys by way more than a dozen!:

They're staying within reach. Up 14 with 10 left.

86-84. Ridiculous. They took an open three at the buzzer that would have won it for them if it hadn't rimmed out.

24, 6 for Hern, 17, 3, 6 for Berr, 12, 14 for Stok, 15, 0, 3 for Sams. But awful D and an unimaginable -18 in the paint- to a #16 seed! We have one day to practice before our 2nd round game. It won't be pleasant!

Millie and I saw each other every day that I was home. She's becoming kind of well, really important to me. We've only been seeing each other for 2 months and it feels like it's moving too fast while it also feels very right.

[Wayne23]

3/18: #8 seed Villanova, 22-11. Their first big off the bench has a sore shoulder. Not sure how effective he'll be. We feel like we have an edge everywhere except PF; that guy scores and REALLY hits the boards. Hopefully Tuck can stay out of foul trouble against him.

3/19: “I want to see some rock solid D!”

We score the first 9. Big lead. Up 27-9 after 10. Great D so far! Up 18 at the half. 4 guys with between 8 and 12. Outshooting them by 11.3%. 4 TOs. No one with more than 1 foul and their C has 3.

“Do NOT let up!”

Up 20 with 10 to go.

91-73. 2nd half D could have been better. That has been a real problem lately.

21 each for Berr and Sams. 16, 11 for Tuck who owned their best player. 15, 9 for Stok.

+11 RBs. +12 at the line.

Millie and I are talking a couple times a day and texting often.

“You're in a much better mood when you win!”

“You know, it's not losing. It's when they don't do the things they should do. I can get pretty pissed when they win if they didn't play smart.”

“Like 2nd half D?”

“Exactly! I read them out after the game. After that I talked about the good things they did though.”

[Wayne23]

#12 seed Wichita ST, 22-13, in the Sweet Sixteen. This is a team we should beat. We have a big edge inside and we should be able to turn them over. But they just beat the #5, then the #4 seeds, both ranked teams.

3/24: Early lead. Up 14 after 10. They're leaving Hern alone and he's making them pay. Up 52-37 at the break. 13, 6 for Hern, 8, 7 for Tuck. Shooting 55.6% to 44.8%, +12 RBs.

“Great O. You're finding the open man. Let's play better D in the 2nd!”

Up 22 with 10 to play. Hoping to save the legs by not going to man or maxing out the D. May be able to empty the bench early.

92-83 but that was as close as they got.

23, 11 for Tuck, who has been hot lately. 15, 9 for Hern, mostly in the 1st half. 14, 2, 9 for Berr, 10, 4, 9 for Sams, but 6 TOs.
+16 RBs.

“Lousy 2nd half D AGAIN! That will beat you the next time it happens!”

Millie and I spoke again. I talked about my concern re 2nd half D, not because I expected solutions but just to vent, I guess. We talked about things other than hoops, too.

[Wayne23]

3/25: #3 seed, #12 ranked Arkansas, 29-7, in the Elite Eight. We beat them by 10 at our place in December. Their SF had 26, and their bench was +15. We shot well but fouled too much. +12 RBs, +14 in the paint. We're +7 RBs per game and we need that edge, and we need to either contain that SF or stop everyone else. They're a very good team, which you would expect at this point.

Got the PG recruit!

3/26: “No easy games at this point guys. Keep your focus all the way!”

It's close. Up 9 after 10 after a mini-run. They catch us and take a lead. Down 3 at the half. Their SF has 15 and 6, 10 for their SG. 11 for Berr. -11 from the bench. -10.4% shooting. +8 RBs.

“Defense, defense, DEFENSE! You're not playing nearly hard enough on D! This is it, Final Four or go home!”

We don't start the 2nd well. Down 14 with 10 left. Big trouble!

80-91. 2nd half D did us in, which was no surprise. They scored 53 2nd half points.

Their SG had 36, 8, 4, 3, and their SG had 19. 22, 11 for Tuck.

+15 RBs but 19 TOs. They out shot us by 6.1%. -10 from the line.

“I honestly thought we had a shot at the Final Four this season but the team wound up being so inconsistent.”

“Yes they were.”

“Oh well. Keep working, I guess.”

“Hey, you'll have more time to spend with me now! (laughs)”

“That is definitely a silver lining!”

“Oh, that's sweet!”

[Wayne23]

4/3: We lost to the National Champ. Arkansas crushed #8 North Carolina by 21!

4/4: Awards: I get Big Ten COY. Hal Tuck makes the 1st team and Dev Stok the 2nd. They're both coming back.

4/8: “Would you move, Jed?”

“I would consider UConn. Probably no one else. I mean we'd still be only a few hours apart if I went there. I'm not about to go so far away that I couldn't see you.”

4/9: TP goes from 61 to 63.

UConn calls. I'm going for yet another visit. I might actually go this time...

“It's a big rebuilding job.”

“You know how to do that. You've done it here.”

“Part of me wants to see it through to a national title, and part of me wonders how many times I can say no to UConn before they stop asking.”

“It's not an easy decision.”

“And I don't want to leave you.”

“Jed, we've only been together for less than three months.”

“So you wouldn't mind if I left?”

“That's not what I said but it's too early for me to be a big factor in this decision.”

“Sorry, you are.”

“If you weren't seeing me you'd go, wouldn't you?”

“I'd still be conflicted about seeing this through to a national title.”

4/11: I tell UConn that I'm staying here but that I very much want to coach there. Next time they have a vacancy I will say yes.

“You're sure?”

“Too late now, Millie.”

“Well, I hope you won't regret it.”

“I won't. And like it or not, seeing where we're going definitely WAS a big factor. I don't want to rush things so this gives us at least a year, probably longer.”

“I can't say that makes me unhappy.”

4/23: I ask for $. We get $4,500. Not much help. We're a long way from being able to buy the National Gold!

Millie and I are taking a lot of hikes in the holo, and we're varying location, terrain, weather, “degree of difficulty,” all sorts of things.

29-6, Elite Eight. Overall I'm 484-125, .795.

4/29: We're approaching another solar system. This one has one planet in the Goldilocks Zone. It has a large moon, so two possibilities for life. We'll be there in August.