Tag Archives: Alabama

Issue # 9.4.1 “30-0” (3/30)

Posted on by
LA Galaxy are 3-0-3 to start the season

Archive

Saturday, March 30, 2024 
IMPROBABLE 30-0 RUN PROPELS UCONN; BAMA MAKES 1ST FINAL FOUR
Concrete Kid stays in first; 7 go 2-0

DIGNITY HEALTH SPORTS PARK, CARSON, CA (smt) – 23-23 seemed like a good battle for #3E-Illinois in holding defending champ #1E-UConn near the end of the first half.   But then… but then, UConn went on a 30-0 (!) run in about 9:08 where Illinois missed 17 straight shots to advance to their 7th Final Four, 77-52.  UConn won in double-digits for a record 10th straight time and they have led by 30 or more points in all four games (led 67-37 here).

#4W-Alabama went on a 20-2 first half run to turn a 13-point deficit into a 5-point lead to keep #6W-Clemson’s hope just out of reach (the Tigers never got within 3 the last 16:44 of the game) in advancing to their first Final Four, 89-82.  The Crimson Tide made more three pointers (16) than free throws (15) or two-point field goals (13).

Continue reading »

Issue # 7.3.1 “UConn Immune to Upsets” (3/28)

Posted on by
Los Angeles faces weekend flooding

Archive

Thursday, March 28, 2024 
UPSETS RULE DAY, BUT CAN’T TOUCH UCONN
Emmadness jumps to 1st but 13 others have better chance to win pool

EL SEGUNDO, CA (smt) – #1E-UConn continued to dominate opponents, beating its 9th straight tournament team by double-digits, this time 30 over #5E-San Diego St.  The rematch of last year’s final had the same result with UConn outscoring SDSU 29-13 to end the game to win 82-52.  The other three top seeds didn’t have much luck though.

#4W-Alabama tried to keep pace with #1W-UNC in the first half as the Tar Heels hit 10/16 three-pointers.  The second half saw ‘Bama fight back with its defense holding UNC to just 2/16 from three in the second half.  Alabama’s Grant Nelson took control in the last five minutes with 12 points, 3 blocks, and one steal in the Razorback’s 89-87 win.  After intentionally (well, he should have) missing the second free throw with less than a second left, he left no doubt of a chance of a Hail Mary 3/4 court game-winner by blocking the heave, which was pretty funny.

Continue reading »

Issue # 1.0.1 “Top to Bottom”

Posted on by

Archive

American Lung Association - When you can’t breathe, nothing else matters

Sunday, March 12, 2023  **HELP support the American Lung Association (deadline Tue 4:00 pm PDT **)

# 1 PRESEASON BOTTOMS OUT, ALABAMA ON TOP
Our 28th pool will test UCLA loyalists again

OFF STREET CAFE, CERRITOS, CA (smt) – 2W-UCLA was this close to a #1 seed but lost to #2S-Arizona in the Pac 12 final and is on a collision course once again with 3W-Gonzaga (would be 4th tourney meeting since ’06).  Can UCLA do it?  Defending champ 1W-Kansas, who lost to 2MW-Texas in Big 12 final, fell to the #3 overall seeding, missing out on the Midwest, as SEC champ #1S-Alabama was the #1 overall seed with #1MW-Houston (who also lost in the final) second.  #1E-Purdue rounded out the top seeds.  Who we won’t see is #1 preseason pick UNC, who failed to qualify and then turned down the #1 seed in the NIT (as one of the First Four out) because they are too big for the NIT (plus, the NIT won’t be playing its final in NYC for the first time, not counting the pandemic 2021 reduced tourney in Dallas) and too much pressure to beat Youngstown St.  I feel bad for the players.

After 42 years of Coach K, 5E-Duke won the ACC tournament with Jon Scheyer to start the new era and after feeling “snubbed” last year, #7MW-Texas A&M is back in.  And a team with twenty (20!) losses, #16bE-Texas Southern, won the SWAC tournament after entering it 11-20 and will play in their fourth straight First Four game where they are 3-0 (’18, ’21, ’22). 

The SEC and Big Ten (boy, can’t wait until UCLA and #10E-USC switch to the Big Ten) got 8 teams in with the Big 12 seven.  The ACC and Big East each got 5 and the Pac-12 and MWC got 4 each.  31 of 36 at-large bids went to the power conferences (with MWC getting 3 of the 5).

Continue reading »

Issue # 8.3.2 “Bruins & Trojans Joined at the Hip” (3/28)

Posted on by

Archive
UCLA ROUTS (IN OVERTIME), USC BEATS OREGON
License to ILL holds on to 3-pt lead while only 12 can win pool

Ball grazed off long shorts

RELAXING AT HOME, CA (smt) – The Pac 12 continues to roll on as #11E-UCLA, without its leading scorer who fouled out with 2:27 left in regulation, upset #2E-Alabama in overtime, thanks to the Tide missing 14 of 25 free throws including two with 6 seconds left.  UCLA scored 23 points in overtime after scoring just 25 in the 2nd half.  Alabama trailed 40-29 at the half and made adjustments to roar back to tie it at 40 but then regressed back to long threes and individual efforts again for some reason.  After taking a 58-56 lead, Alabama missed four of their next six free throws, any one make and Bama’s Alex Reese’s near long 3-point buzzer beater (0.4 seconds left) would have been to win instead of a tie.  Or with tighter and shorter shorts.  A big call reversal with 1:54 left that gave the ball back to UCLA after a dribble went off the foot of UCLA but grazed the long shorts of Alabama.  The Bruins will be joined by their cross-town rivals as #6W-USC (10/17 from three-point range) easily won the first battle of Pac 12 teams in the tournament, defeating #7W-Oregon 82-68.

Meanwhile, #1W-Gonzaga shot 60.7% in the first half to torch #5W-Creigthon and #1E-Michigan stifled #4E-Florida St.  The Pac 12’s three teams (at seeds #6, #11, and #12) ties their record in ’01 (USC, Stanford, Arizona).  The ACC has no teams in the Elite 8 for the first time since ’14.  With the extended break (5 days vs 3-4) plus staying in the same city the whole time (vs flying back home), teams came out sluggish and forced the top seeds to pick it up in the second half.

Continue reading »