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Monday, May 20, 2024
There may not be another game this entire college basketball season that was more predictable than last night’s interconference matchup between Cincinnati and San Diego State. As expected, the game between the Bearcats and Aztecs was an evenly matched defensive grinder.
This introduction was going to be about one of the most anticipated games of the year so far, as Duke and Wisconsin squared off in a battle between top 5 teams, Final Four contenders and legendary coaches. That changed after midnight here in the Central time zone after watching Wichita State face Utah in what was maybe the second-most anticipated game of at least the night, anyway.
As part of this weekend’s big kick off to the Christmas shopping season, yesterday was dubbed Small Business Saturday across the country. The basketball schedule for the day might have qualified under that designation, as few of the biggest names were in action, in part because the big holiday tourneys ended a few days ago. What the day may have lacked in big names, though, it did not lack for stories.
A busy day of tournament action included one championship game, while several others have their championship matchup set. Plus a couple of late surprises and a couple of key injuries in tournaments.
College basketball’s first big day of the season was really almost all we could’ve asked for. From early morning to into the night, the day offered a number of outstanding games that might already get some people thinking March. Exciting finishes, back-and-forth games, offense, defense, big schools, little schools, fantastic inbound plays-you name it, you could find it on Tuesday.
Determining who the very best teams in Conference USA were last year is like trying to find out how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. Perhaps only Mr. Owl could sort that out in a league that is just way too big because of the chase for football money.
One game at the end of a long season isn’t going to magically turn a season around. But given the circumstances, Old Dominion salvaged what they could in going to Boston and beating the CAA regular season champions in their final CAA game.
Old Dominion’s firing of Blaine Taylor came out of nowhere earlier in the week. It makes no sense from a look at the bottom line even during a nightmare of a season that this has been, so there must be more to the story.
In the Monarchs’ last go-round in the CAA, there is a big newness factor as seven of their 12 players have never checked into a college game and the all-important point guard spot is likely wide open.
The Colonial Athletic Association held its annual Media Day on Tuesday, and it was sure to be an interesting day as the conference is in some transition. Here’s a look at a few notes from the day’s conversations.
