How about we have some Super Tuesday action? Most of you are probably gearing up for the Super Bowl on Sunday. Well, we got Super Tuesday
NOTE: Because of the late report, some scores I had previously will not be available in this report. View the sites I listed at the end to see who won if your favorite team played on Tuesday. I may even just show you who won the game. I apologize for the delay.
Green Meets Orange
* Michigan State at Illinois
It's the
dougiemeats special, players! This is actually a very good match. The key Big Ten matchup is that of Ohio State and Wisconsin. Greg Oden has done his damage for Ohio State, and Alando Tucker has done his damage for Wisconsin. But what about the other teams in Big Ten play? Ah! Fooled you, huh? There's no fooling this match because the 2000 National Champs are in Illinois' house! I named Michigan State's football team as the co-biggest disappointment of the 2006-2007 season. Michigan State has a great women's team. The women recently got upset by Pennsylvania State. The ladies will likely wish their male Spartans return to East Lansing, MI with a win in Champaign, IL. Did they? Illinois was blasting Michigan State as the boys in orange were ahead big. But then, Michigan State would rally back. I'll tell you this... Illinois needs to get their shooting in check. Otherwise, they'll just get jabbed to death by whatever team they go up against. Illinois is told to have the worst free throw percentage of all the Big Ten schools with about 64% free throw shooting percentage. Illinois led 51-46 with two minutes left in the game. This is a night of bricked shots with this game. It wasn't pretty, but Illinois kept their title hopes alive with a victory here. (57-50; ILLINOIS)
DID YOU KNOW...
...that Illinois has NEVER won the National Championship? They came close a few seasons ago when they were unbeaten until the final games of the regular season and the title game. Unfortunately, they didn't get it done. In fact, I don't think Illinois has been to the title game in the school's history.
*** SPECIAL COMMENTARY *** Illinois needs to improve some of their shot selection including their performance at the foul line. Imagine if Illinois is down by one with less than 1 second left in the game and in the Double Bonus. You need to hit the free throws. I'm not saying that they're automatic, but do a better job of draining the rock at the charity stripe. Illinois probably could have led by a much larger margin had they connected their free throws. Do remember, the simplest way to have a chance to win ANY game is to make your foul shots. I wouldn't be surprised if Bruce Weber increases the intensity of a free-throw shooting regimen in addition to making more high-percentage shots. It's good that Illinois found a bit of their stride late.
--- New York State Pack ---
Let's look at some of the teams playing in the state of New York.
South Bend's Finest Heads North Northeast to Syracuse
* #19 Notre Dame at Syracuse
Most people think of New York City when they think of the state of New York. Most others may remember that Albany is the capital of New York. Some may even recall Syracuse in New York. Syracuse is the city where this match takes place. The Carrier Dome can be thought of as Syracuse's all-in-one sporting arena. You can see their pathetic football team happily lose at home to teams like Iowa and Pittsburgh. There's even lacrosse played in the Carrier Dome. Probably wrestling too (or do they have a such program)? But their bread and butter has been basketball (especially men's basketball). The Orange (formerly the Orangemen) last won the title in the 2003 season. They may not be up to par anytime soon. Well, they'd BETTER be ready for Notre Dame because there won't be any ex-Cuse to allow Notre Dame to pummel the 'Cuse with bucket after bucket. Unfortunately for the Orange, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame finished off a not-even-close match. (103-91; #19 Notre Dame)
Staten Island Meets Brooklyn in a Battle Between to NYC Boroughs
* Wagner at Long Island
This is an NEC battle between two New York City area schools. While not technically New York, but are in the general vincinity. Football school, Wagner College, meets the non-football school at Long Island University. Wagner College likely shares a rivalry with the University of Stony Brook. These boys in green can go neck and neck with Stony Brook on the football field and basketball court for kings of Staten Island. But the Seahawks must take the fight to LIU to meet some other breed of fowl. Long Island University is, as I mentioned, a non-football school. But if you never heard of Long Island U. up to this point, this is a team that has a pretty nice arena (from what I've seen in the PS2 version of "College Hoops 2K7"). The name of the place fails me at this point. The head coach of LIU-Brooklyn is Jim Ferry (4 years). The Blackbirds (sometimes called the "Fighting Blackbirds") are no strangers to close-quarters combat. Staten Island won this one as Wagner made Long Island's Blackbirds... eat some crow. (???-???; Wagner)
The Manhattan Project
* Marist at Manhattan
I hope you love New York City because we're heading to the bright lights of Manhattan... and the a small college known as Manhattan College. No football at Manhattan College, but Marist College has done pretty well in football and basketball. Let's meet the two. First off, let's meet Marist. Marist College's fight song can be heard in the latest edition of "College Hoops 2K7." (???-???; MANHATTAN)
-end "New York State Pack"
* Wichita State at Northern Iowa (67-61; Wichita State)
Take a break for a moment as I'll get to some extras.
[COLOR="Blue']
(Extra) Can a Historically-Black College or University Make the Sweet Sixteen or Higher?
Hampton. Florida A&M. Grambling State. Coppin State. Can an HBCU make the Sweet Sixteen or higher? HBCUs are usually not as great as the other bigtime schools. Sporting News' College Basketball Preview had rated the SWAC dead last in terms of conference performance in the nation. Ahead of the SWAC was the MEAC. Any chance a historically-black school can end up being in the Sweet Sixteen and higher? I think it could be very possible. I was normally under the presumption that Hampton University has the best performance of any historically-black college or university. The prognosticators, however, have Delaware State beating Hampton in the MEAC conference. I'm a firm believer of black college football. Better be careful playing down in the American Southeast. I somehow think a MEAC team may be more likely to make the Sweet Sixteen or higher than a SWAC team. Speaking of the SWAC, it is possible that Jackson State and Alabama A&M are the most dangerous teams in the conference. If Jackson State makes the Big Dance, it will be their first time since 2000. Alabama A&M last made the dance in 2005 by way of the Play-In game. They took on Michigan's Oakland University that year and beat them. * On the women's side, Coppin State is looking very good in the women's ranks, as is Hampton. I guess on the women's end, you could say that the Alabama A&M ladies could post a postseason threat themselves.
So can any historically-black school make a Sweet Sixteen threat this season, or at least one down the road? I think it's possible, but they'll need to hope they shoot lights out and hope the teams they'll go up against won't put up much of a fight. I don't know if there is a single HBCU that could actually ruffle some feathers of big teams and mid-majors alike. But you'll never know who'll step up and become the next George Mason.
(Extra) Division 2 Champions Currently in Division 1
Let's have a look at some of the Division 1 teams that found their success in Division 2 before stepping up to Division 1.
(Division 2 Champions Currently in Division 1) (men's champs only)
* Evansville (1959, 1960, 1964, 1965, 1971)
* Mount St. Mary's College! (1962)
* Winston-Salem State (1967)
* Morgan State (1974)
* Tennessee-Chattanooga! (1977, now just Chattanooga)
* Wright State (1983)
* Jacksonville State (1985)
* Sacred Heart (1986)
* California-Davis (1998)
! = also a runner-up in addition to champions in Division 2
And as an interesting fact, none of these schools have won championship gold. Winston-Salem State and California-Davis aren't eligible to play for Division 1 gold because both schools are Independents at present. In addition, none of the eligible teams have made a Final Four in their respective histories. Let's look at some runners-up in Division 2 title games currently playing in Division 1:
(Division 2 National Champion Runners-Up in Division 1) (men only)
* Southwest Missouri State
* Southeast Missouri State
* Old Dominion
* Tennessee State
* California State-Sacromento (otherwise known as Sacromento State)
* Akron
* Southern Illinois
* Indiana State
* New Orleans
* Wisconsin-Green Bay
* South Dakota State
* Troy
* California-Riverside
Again, none of these schools have won a National Championship in Men's hoops. None have made a Final Four that I know of. So that's some love for you from Division 2. [/COLOR]
Now back to some scores.
* Wyoming at New Mexico (91-83; NEW MEXICO) <<< fight took place with 1:10 left in the game. Players were suspended on the Wyoming side (maybe the New Mexico side as well)
Other Tuesday scores:
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/scoreboard?d=2007-01-30&c=all&refresh=0 (Men)
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaw/scoreboard?d=2007-01-30&c=all&refresh=0
(Women)
Now make ready for Wednesday action coming up.
