Higher Post: The Wright Stuff
...New Kids bring excitement to the Jimmy V.
Congregation, please stand up….
…to cancer - Jimmy V. Week is in the books!!
The buzzer has sounded for another Jimmy V. Week!
I feel like it always sneaks up on us because it comes right after thanksgiving, and well, it’s spread over two weeks all leading to a climatic ending at the annual men’s and women’s Jimmy V. Classic games. And, this year’s installment was nothing short of ‘awesome, baby!’
The first ever Jimmy V. Classic tipped 30 years ago with double-header featuring two rivals, then from the Atlantic 10, with Temple vs. #1 Kansas followed by #2 UMass vs. #21 Georgia Tech. Both A10 schools won the fight, with the Owls handing the Jayhawks their first loss of the season (7-0 previous) and the #1 ranking to their hated conference rival after the Minutemen knocked off the Yellow Jackets just 3 hours later.
In 2002, a Women’s Jimmy V. Classic was added with #1 Duke beating #2 Tennessee, and #6 UConn besting NC State on the Wolfpack’s home court. Three years later, the women’s Classic was trimmed to just one game, and unlike the men’s Classic that takes place in a neutral site (Meadowlands, MSG) the women’s game is played on a home campus.
This year we were treated to 3 close games, with one ending in a buzzer beater.
#10 BYU 67 - Clemson 64: First up, a classic catfight between the BYU Cougars (8-1) against the Clemson Tigers (7-3). It was truly a ‘tail’ of two halves as Clemson built a 22pt lead heading into the locker room at the half. But, in the second half, the Tigers started chasing its own tail, allowing Cougar forward AJ Dybantsa to score 22 of his season high 28pts and leading to the final buzzer beater 3 from Robert Wright III to seal it.
Sneaking through two defenders wasn’t the only thing that snuck out from Robert Wright III, as he also let out a few ‘choice’ words in the postgame interview. I can’t tell what those words were since they were bleeped out, but I can guess. Whoops!
#5 UConn 77 - #18 Florida 73: Then, in the nightcap, UConn (9-1) frustrated #HuskieHaters all over with a grueling win over the defending national champions. Florida guard, Xaivian Lee led scoring for the Gators (5-4) with 19 points, but was only 1-7 from outside the arc.
3pt shooting was the difference as Florida only shot 27% (4-15) while the Huskies shot 44% (8-18), with all other major stats being fairly equal. Unfortunately, this was another big game that the Gators let get away.
#10 Iowa State 74 - #11 Iowa 69: We were treated to a gem in this year’s “CyHawk Rivalry” game between the in-state rivals. The nation’s leading scorer, Audi Crooks, tore up the paint for 30pts, while both Ava Heiden and Hannah Stuelke played limited minutes due to foul trouble.
Crooks has been a star throughout her career, but she has taken a big leap this season averaging 27.8 ppg and just making life difficult for anyone showing up for work in the paint.
Hawkeye fans were treated to another stellar performance with the return of sophomore guard Chazadi “Chit Chat” Wright who was hitting far 3’s as if she was shooting them from Carver-Hawkeye.
The Georgia Tech transfer has brought some real fun to this Iowa team this season, and if she stays, there is a lot to get excited for after the last of the coach Lisa Bluder’s players move on.
All three games were filled with talent, amazing plays, flip-flopping leads and comeback stories, all encompassing those famous words, “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up!”
I can’t count the number of times I have watched the famous Jimmy V. ESPY speech, but every time I do, I get emotional. Jimmy said if we laugh, think and cry everyday, you have a full day. I do all 3 of those just watching his speech. If you have never seen it, please watch. And if you can find it in your heart to donate to the V Foundation, you should. I’m proud to be a month giver and have met some folks who work for the foundation. They are wonderful and are really doing great work. Thank you.
When you die, that does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live. So live! Live! Fight like hell!
- Stuart Scott, 2014 Jimmy V. Award Acceptance Speech
We Got Next: Games to watch this weekend! (all times EST)
There is a great event happening tonight! Two icons in the world of basketball (and broadcasting) are joining forces to call a game together. Yes, I’m talking about Dickie V. and Sir Charles Barkley together for the Indiana / Kentucky game at 7:30 (ESPN)
Here are some other highlights of the weekend:
WBB:
Saturday - 4p: #9 Oklahoma at #23 Oklahoma State (ESPNu)
Saturday - 5:30p: #1 UConn / #16 USC (FOX)
Sunday - 1p: #13 Baylor / #2 Texas (ABC)
Sunday - 4p: #22 Louisville / #12 North Carolina (ACCn)
MBB:
Saturday - noon: #17 Arkansas / #16 Texas Tech (ESPN)
Saturday - 4p: #23 Nebraska / #13 Illinois (Peacock)
Saturday - 9:30p: #1 Arizona / #12 Alabama (ESPN)
Saturday - 11:30p: #25 UCLA / #8 Gonzaga (ESPN)
The Full Day
In the essence of Jimmy V. Let’s have ourselves a full day!
Laugh: You like-ah the juice?
It’s been a while since we asked the question, “Did you happen to catch the Syracuse game last night?”
It is true that team in Orange has taken a tumble in relevancy these past few years, but this year’s team has shown some juice in the short season so far.
The Orange started the season feasting on tasty treats of the mid majors, before hitting a sugar low against some heavy weights. There is no shame in losing to Houston, Kansas and Iowa State. But, when they followed the 4 wins by those 3 losses, fans started to feel they got the last drop. Then, came #13 Tennessee in the ACC/SEC Challenge, where the Cardiac Cusers squeezed out a 2pt upset, causing the students to storm the court. I mean, when was the last time Carrier Court stormed?
Well, that got us thinking…
Syracuse last made the Final Four in 2016, since then, they only made The Dance three times, never going past the Sweet 16. (and not since 2021). That means this year’s freshman were only 9 years old when the Orange last made a relevant tourney run. Wow. I’m going to have to go listen to some Ra Ra Riot and relive the good times.
Think: In a UMass Minute(s)
It’s been a minute since my UMass Minutemen, then led by Marcus Camby and coached by then Ralph Macchio-lookalike John Calipari, won the first Jimmy V. Classic.
It’s actually been about 15,765,033 minutes, but who’s counting?
However, this season has seen a special achievement as well. UMass basketball, counting both men’s and women’s programs, are a total 8-0 over other schools from the Bay State (MBB: 3-0 / WBB 5-0) This includes wins over in-state ‘rival’ UNewton Boston College and Harvard for both programs. The Minutewomen (7-1) have conquered Holy Cross. UMass men still have one to go over D3 UMass-Boston. I expect that one to be a W, so let’s hope I didn't just give them the Scranton Curse.
Cry: Wait, we all don’t make it?
Ok, usually when I drop the letters ND on a Higher Post, it’s usually about women’s hoops. But we are not going to Ivey’s Poison Garden today. Yes, I’m actually referencing the world of college football as the CFP bracket dropped this week, which excluded the Irish - a surprise to many, especially ND’s AD Pete Bevacqua. Bevacqua called out the ACC for promoting the inclusion of football member school Miami (of Coral Gables) over their Irish, saying the predictions all season led them to believe they would be in and that there is ‘permanent damage’ to the relationship between the conference and school, who is a member in most sports, just not football.
This is going to be ugly for a while.
I’m not going to give my opinion on whether or not the Irish should be in, because that is not my pot-of-gold. But, I love me some post Selection Sunday complaining.
We, the college hoops fans of the world, see this every year on ‘Selection Monday’. At the end of the day, I will say the same thing I say every year, “Want to be selected for the post-season? Win more. That’s the formula”
Welcome to the post-bracket complaining party, college football!
Five Touches: Passing around the sports world
It was only a matter of time: UNLV becomes the first college to approve jersey-patch sponsorship
Vanderbilt - the Brains and the Brawn: Don’t look now, but the Commodores of Vanderbilt are ranked in MBB (15), WBB (14) and football (13). Let’s make lots of money.
A Grand Achievement: And speaking of Vanderbilt, Commodore wunder-guard Mikayla Blakes becomes the fastest player to reach 1000 points in program history. She also became only the 9th women’s player in NCAA history to do it in 42 games or less. She knows where her towel is.
A Few Good Wins: And speaking of achievements, Gonzaga beat North Florida this week, giving head coach Mark Few his 750th career win, which he did in 904 games. Few is the second fastest to reach that milestone, only trailing Adolph Rupp, who did it in 902 games.
Cathy Engelbert is losing her grip: Introducing Granny Hoops! The new women’s league that has actually been around for a long time.
Final Seconds
Ok, friends! That is it for this week! Get out and watch some hoops!
And remember, to do these three things: - Like, Share and Subscribe.
Always live One Shining Moment at a time. Never be boring.