Sixth Man Post

I like a lot of things but what I don't like is the format of my blog. I'd love to have a sett style or format. So, I'll be mixing it up stylistically. It is of note that this morning of the Tim Brando Show, on CBS Sports Network, Jon Rothstein, Tim's fill in opened up the show by comparing Gonzaga's backcourt with Iona's backcourt. HMMM...funny, I just blogged about that. Similar to when Francesa opened his show two days ago and mentioned the bizarre ending to the MAAC title game. Damn, Modblog making waves five entries in! I love it.

In a previous entry I wrote about the head coach being reflected in the way his team plays on the floor. I'm in the middle of a book, "You Can Call Me Al, the colorful journey of college basketball's original flower child Al McGuire" and thought this quote was applicable. "A team should be the extension of the coach's personality. So my teams are obnoxious and arrogant. Being a fellow originally from the streets, when I am punched, I punch back." Al McGuire is the man. College basketball fan? Read this book!

NEC Tounrmanet Final:

Third-seeded LIU (20-13) was coming off a season in which four of its players were suspended in the fall for their role in a fight and reigning NEC player of the year Julian Boyd tore his ACL in December. So, beating the fifth-seeded Mountaineers (18-14) was perhaps the sweetest victory in the three-peat. "Me and C.J. talked about everything we've been through from the suspensions, your player of the year goes down -- it could have gone both ways," said senior Jamal Olasewere  "We knew this one was personal." Garner and Olasewere seemed determined not to let this one slip through their fingers. Garner's 31 points were a career high and Olasewere added 15 points and 10 rebounds to help coach Jack Perri became the third coach in the conference to win the title in his first year on the job. Perri, who had been an assistant for the Blackbirds before being promoted this season, said this was the sweetest of the three titles for him. "I'm very emotional right now because of what we went through," he said. "totally different book than the last two years, totally different story. Everything went right the last two years and this year they had to show their true colors." After a frantic back-and-forth first half, LIU Brooklyn opened the second half with a 35-31 lead. Led by a decisive dunk by Olasewere and a three-point play from Garner, the Blackbirds went on a 13-4 run to go ahead by 13 only 6 minutes into the half. LIU Brooklyn didn't allow Mount St. Mary's to pull closer than 12 the rest of the way. The enthusiastic LIU Brooklyn crowd, which spent much of the second half chanting "Brooklyn Three-peat", stormed the floor to celebrate what was a career night for Garner and a definitive statement for the small LIU program. LIU Brooklyn's win cut Mount Saint Mary's comeback from an ugly start to the season a bit short. The fifth-seeded Mountaineers came in riding a nine-game win streak after upsetting top-seeded Robert Morris for a chance to play in the finals. A win for Mount St. Mary's would have topped an impressive turnaround for the team, which started a dismal 2-6 in conference play.
During the first half, it seemed as though the Mountaineers would take this one. LIU Brooklyn didn't grab its first lead until more than 10 minutes had passed. From there, it was back-and-forth with five lead changes until the Blackbirds took over in the second half. Sam Prescott, who scored 19 points, started 4-for-4 from 3-point range before going cold in the second half for the Mountaineers, while Garner scored 17 of his points and Olasewere 10 after the break. The Blackbirds shot close to 68 percent in the second half. Garner, who averaged 28 points during the tournament, was named its most valuable player, in a game that gave the LIU Blackbirds a place in the NEC record book for most consecutive conference wins.(AP)

Horizon League Final/Summit League Final:

Torn, as I wish I could watch both games with the same intent and focus but Wischusen and Bardo(calling Horizon League Final) were bothering me initially so I paid more attention to the Summit League final.
You can complain about it being a home game for the jackrabbits but not their fault the neutral site was in South Dakota. Nate Wolters is flat out fun to watch. He helped SDSU(South Dakota State University) to a road win at the pit iin against UNM in December and also dropped 53 points at IPFW, most points this year in D1. Another entertaining Jackrabbit is Jordan Dykstra, no relation to nails. Questionably undersized when compared with other big men around the nation but love the motor. SDSU pulled away toward the end of the game which thankfully allowed me to get back to see Valpo. Also, was sick of Valvano complaining about the low scoring in men's college basketball. I'll stop complaining about the telecast when the announcers get off their soapbox and stop complaining about the game. GEE WHIZ! That really gets me. I'd do anything to be at these games and homeboys are complaining? Please take your grandstanding to your local sports radio and not to the Summitt League Championship. I didn't tune in for the "state of the game". Unreal. Sooo....I flip back to the Horizon and see Valpo and Wright State. Pretty good run for Valpo going on an 18-4 at the end which saw Valpo win in front of their home fans. Happy for them because they are "Valpo", hit a buzzer beater two nights prior and got a guy named Buggs! Good job by Horizon League which rewards the best conference record by letting them host the conference tourney. At the end Wright State acknowleged the outcome by not fouling and letting the time end and yet you have "Coach Wischusen" getting flustered as to why the Raiders wouldn't foul. Umm....Bob, please call the friggin game, you ARE the play by play guy. Seems, especially of late, Bob has to let out his New York Jets frustration on something. But once again not at the Horizon League title game!

Some noougs for ya face:
Summit League Championship victory takes Jackrabbits to the NCAA Tournament for the 26th time in school history, 2nd time Division 1

Valpo(26-7) set new program record for victories in a season

This link is father coach son player stat. Still digging for coach who has son who coached same program to NCAA's. If ya got anything else other than Valpo, holler at your boy.

http://collegehoopedia.com/players/father-son-combinations

How about Nate Wolters(SDSU Jackrabbits), who incidentally, I watched as a frosh play at the D2 level when I first moved to Denver courtesy of my sisters basement.
Wolters=2nd straight Summit League tourney MVP with 21.7/4.7/7.3(great numbers any league)
Wolters=Double figures 71st game in a row/114th of career. 20pts., 19th time this year/50 all time\

Patriot League Recap later. Take on Your Day and tell your Play by Play and Color guys to STICK TO THE GAME!