CoB Higher Post: Dessert Before Dinner
...bring on the main course!
Congregation, please stand up….
…because today is a new day and we all need a stretch.
As you can imagine, I have spent some time thinking hard about what to write about in this week’s post. Sure, there are a bunch of games to dissect in this short season, but that isn’t it. Do I want to mention a certain ‘orange elephant’ in the room? After much deliberation, I decided…
No.
That would be an insult to Otto (who is a real Orange) and Big Ellie (who is THE real elephant). That other guy is just a false mascot. Politicians maybe puppets but mascots are our friends.
So, no. We are going to call a T.O. and reset. As a famous 90’s preacher once said, “I get knocked down, but I get up again. You are never gonna keep me down” and at the Church of Bracketology, in times like this, we have a simple game plan. We take a whiskey drink. We take a vodka drink. We take a lager drink. We take a cider drink. And if you know where this is going, don’t expect us to sing the songs of the better times because while fight songs do have lyrics, who really knows all of them?
As I type here in the CoB sanctuary, I’m watching the Harvard women’s team knock off #25 Indiana in OT in Bloomington. Earlier this week, Harvard also beat my beloved UMass Minutewomen in a game that was a lot closer than the 71-58 score hints at. Suddenly, feeling a loss of hope after you the let the first one get away, you get a that shot of confidence because you are reminded that you were in the fight. This Harvard team looked good on Monday. They looked good tonight. They are good and the Minutewomen got within 3pts of taking the victory. We may have gotten knocked down, but we get up again.
Look out Central Connecticut because on Sunday you’ll be on our court and ESPN is givin’ us an 81.1% chance of winning, baby! Can I get a GO DEFENSE?!
My apologies. I get excited.
As ‘Magnolia Monday’ came to a close, many mid-major programs had that same sad feeling. Top-25 Men’s teams beat their opponents by an average of 33.9 points; including three games with final point differentials over 50:
#20 Cinci over Arkansas-Pine Bluff 109-54
#2 Alabama over UNC Asheville 110-54
#4 Houston over Jackson State 97-40 - where the final difference eclipsed JSU’s total score!)
Talk about eating dessert before dinner.
However, there were three ranked teams that got knocked down on Monday, mostly with little surprise. #6 Gonzaga took down #8 Baylor in the top matchup of the day. You can’t really call that and upset, especially since the game they are basically evenly matched and it was in Spokane. Next there was #19 Texas who lost to THEE Ohio State. THEE final difference was only by 8 on a neutral court. Nothing major.
But the ‘buzz’ of the night was UCF’s rooking of #13 Texas A&M. The Knights were picked #11th in the BigXII’s preseason poll and their upset resulted in the first court storming of the season.
Meanwhile, on the women’s side, it was much of the same snackin’ with no ranked teams losing and scoring an average point differential of 37. This included three close games between ranked opponents with a total point differential of 15. There ain’t no rest for the wicked. We get knocked down, but we get up again.
So now that dessert has been served, let’s get on to the main course!
On Sunday: On the Women’s side, a ‘Remember all being in the ACC?’ Reunion Doubleheader! (All times EST):
#11 Duke vs. #18 Maryland (1pm, FS1): Granted these are not the J.J. Redick days and this is the women’s game, so the level of angst isn’t the same, but the great state of Maryland is about Princes and Princesses, not Dukes. Someone is leaving with a loss.
#1 South Carolina vs. #9 NC State (3p. ESPN): Seriously, who doesn’t love a Final Four rematch. You can expect NC State to bring some revenge, but after Dawn Staley’s squad got a scare from an unranked Michigan team, you know she will have them prepared.
Meanwhile, on the Men’s Side:
There will be Blue Bloods - #9 UNC at #1 Kansas (Friday, 7p. ESPN2): Armondo Bacot is gone. RJ Davis is back. This is a smaller but much quicker Tar Heel team. But will they be able to cut through the thick Phog of the painted forest or will the Jayhawks going Hunting? Expect this 2022 Championship game rematch to be 40mins of fun until the end.
On the Rebound - #8 Baylor at #16 Arkansas (Saturday, 7p. ESPNu): Scott Drew really made the Schedule Gods mad to start the season agains two ranked teams on the road -or- is he using the old Coach Cal philosophy of ‘Any team. Anywhere. Anytime.’ against the aging master?
Entrance Exams - #11 Auburn at #4 Houston (Saturday, 9:30p. ESPNu): Both teams destroyed their first opponents by over 50. This will be the first real test of these teams.
Keeping up with The Hannahs:
Two of my favorite players are not only incredibly fun to watch…but are both named Hannah! I dedicate this section to them. We try and keep up with them during a pivotal season!
Hannah Stuelke (Junior / Forward / Iowa):
“…and a scary sight here as Stuelke is slow to get up.” - announcer AJ Reisetter at the end of the first quarter in Monday night’s game between Iowa and Northern Illinois.
Ok, I won’t lie. I freaked out a bit. You never want to see a player go down to injury, especially if that player is one of your favorites, who you have been waiting all summer to watch again…and…you know, dedicate part of a weekly newsletter to. Thankfully, it was only a minor ankle twist and she was fine after a rest. Hannah got knocked down, but she got up again a little later in the game as Coach Jensen used her sparingly for only 19 mins of the opener. Phew! Still in that short time, Stuelke still racked up 11 pts, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in the Hawkeye victory over Northern Illinois. As expected, this game was the coming out for new Hawkeye and Villanova transfer Lucy Olsen who scored 19 pts with 7 assists.
Incidentally, both she and Olsen were named to both the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Player of the Year Watch Lists. Go Hannah!!
Next up: The Hawkeyes travel to Charlotte, NC. to take on 1-0 Virginia Tech on Sunday at 5:30p on ESPN2.
Hannah Hidalgo (So, PG / Notre Dame):
Hannah Hidalgo and the Irish showed the worst mercy on newly promoted Mercyhurst in the Lakers’ first ever D1 game, beating them by 44 pts (105-61). Hidalgo scored 19 which was only the 3rd highest behind seniors Olivia Miles (20) and Liatu King (24). Miles is back after missing last season with a torn ACL during which we many of us were salivating at what the Miles/Hidalgo show would be like. And we got a preview. On her return Olivia Miles got a triple-double (20 pts/10 ast/10 reb) while Hannah herself got 9 rebounds and 6 steals to go along with her point total. In fact, all 5 starters scored double digits with Kate Koval scoring 18 and Cassandre Prosper scoring 17. This team is potent and if this type of consistency is what is to come this season, the Irish will be in the chase for the title.
And in no surprise to anyone, Hannah Hidalgo was also named to the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Player of the Year Watch Lists (along with teammates Miles and Citron). So, this little segment will be quite the rivalry going forward. Stay tuned.
Next up: The Irish boil up a regional rivalry as they take on Purdue on Sunday at 7p on FS1.
Five Touches: Quick passes around the world of hoops
Your new office comes with a seat warmer: The Athletic asks the most important question to start the season: Which coach is under the most pressure going into the season? Is it too early to talk hot seats?
The new edition of the Bilas Index is out: Nope, I don’t see any teams from the MAC either.
Since we mentioned it earlier, here is the entire Wooden Preseason Women’s Top 50 Watch List. They say Paige Bueckers and Juju Watkins top the list, but the list is alphabetical! You mean, I have to scroll?? Anyway, bring on the debates!
And the schools change, but the names stay the same: Here is the Wooden Preseason Top 50 Men’s Watch list.
…and finally…Everyone Watches Women’s Sports: One of most exciting games on the upcoming non-conference schedule this season is the showdown between UConn senior sensation (and likely 2025 #1 WNBA draft pick) Paige Bueckers and USC’s superb sophomore (and likely 2027 #1 WNBA draft pick) Juju Watkins. This game is scheduled 12/21 in Hartford - yes, it was moved to the bigger XL Arena in Hartford. And it is already sold out and not a cheap seat in on the secondary market. (I just hope I get to see Jason Sudakis.)
Extracurricular Reading: Sometimes you gotta call a T.O.
Playoffs? The NWSL Postseason begins this weekend! Gotham FC will be going for a repeat of last year but this time they won’t be a surprise since they build an uber team with 6 Olympic medalists. I wonder of Nealy Martin is practicing her goalkeeping just in case...
We’re sorry Mario, but the Princess is in another dream: No, Nintendo’s next release is not a new game console. It’s an alarm clock!
…and if that isn’t enough: Sign up for the Nintendo’s Music Streaming Service as well.
…and when you finally had enough of that: just go old school and have a drink from Atari’s Joystick Decanter. Seriously. Do I need this? Define ‘need’.
And finally…. Congratulations to all the runners in this year’s NYC Marathon. The Marathon is a special day in my house as my partner has run it 3 times - and when she isn’t, she is out at the famous Donut Mile
yellingencouraging others that they, in fact, ‘100% that bitch.’ Here are some of the more fun signs seen along the route.
Ok, I hope this got you back up and ready for the weekend!
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Remember, happiness is living One Shining Moment at a time!