Grip on Sports: Will Gonzaga turn Northwestern’s NCAA ride back into a pumpkin today?
A GRIP ON SPORTS • Had enough basketball yet? Or are you just getting started? We are halfway through the 64 teams that started the four-day weekend of NCAA hoop, but we’re not halfway through the tournament. That’s only one-sixth done. After today, we will be down to 16 teams and two-thirds of tournament. Talk about focusing the pressure. Read on.
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• It took me almost 50 years, but I finally realized John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success is a perfect metaphor for the NCAA tournament. You just have to turn it upside-down. A whole bunch of teams begin the thing, all trying to squeeze through the six layers to the bottom. To be the one standing on that last Monday night.
Who will it be?
That answer is unknowable after the first round, especially this year. If there is anything the first 32 games – or is it 36? – have taught us is there is no dominate team. Or a Cinderella.
Heck, the closest thing to a glass-slipper team this season might by Gonzaga’s opponent today, Northwestern. First-time NCAA participants, celebrity parents, celebrity coach, Chicago-based. It seems as if it just may be the Wildcats’ year.
Look at the West Region, which contains GU and Northwestern. The first round was all chalk, with the lone exception of 11th-seeded Xavier defeating perennial under-achieving Maryland.
Around the nation, the lowest seeded team to win was 12th-seeded Middle Tennessee State. There were three 11 seeds winning (besides Xavier, USC and Rhode Island moved on) and a 10th seed (Wichita State, which probably should have been placed on the seven line).
Other than that, nothing.
No 14-seed mid-major pulling an upset. No huge shock by a 15th seed. It was actually kind of boring.
Heck, the eight seeds won three of four against the nines. Talk about sticking to plan.
That doesn’t mean there are no compelling matchups today, however, though nothing in the “let’s-all-root-for-the-underdog” way.
Besides Gonzaga and Northwestern, Saint Mary’s and Arizona get together in their annual preseason scrimmage – wait, no, this is an actually game. And Butler, the uber-underdog of the last decade, faces off with this year’s only dream-team, Middle Tennessee.
Other than that, it’s pretty much Power 5 conference teams vs. Power 5 conference teams. And what’s the fun in that?
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Gonzaga: Don’t expect the Salt Lake City crowd to be behind the Zags today. Over the course of the past two decades, they have aged from Cinderella into something akin to the evil stepmother. Jim Meehan talked with the players about that and has this advance. He also has a couple of other stories, including one on Przemek Karnowski’s doctor torn in his allegiances, Mark Few talking about conference affiliations, Jesse Wade’s family looking forward to the recruit finally getting to play with GU and a key to today’s game. … John Blanchette has a column on the slippers slipping onto Northwestern’s feet and another on a Ferris High alum rooting for Northwestern – and why. … Jacob Thorpe looks back at Gonzaga’s history in second-round games. … Whitney Ogden checks in with Salt Lake City-area alums. … Dan Pelle and Colin Mulvany have a photo report from the media day between games. … A John Stockton story from SLC. What a surprise. … The Gonzaga women begin their NCAA adventure today in Seattle, facing 6th-seed Oklahoma. Jim Allen will be there. He has an advance, a story on Gonzaga’s depth and a look at Jill Barta’s postseason surge. … Elle Tinkle is still star in Montana. … It was a big day for a GU golfer. … Over the years, Saint Mary’s and today’s second-round opponent, Arizona, have met in closed, preseason scrimmages. So tonight’s game probably doesn’t hold a lot of mystery for either team.
WSU: Lost in the hubbub of March, the Washington State women won their first postseason game ever the other night against BYU. … Now the women head to Wyoming for a second-round WNIT game. … Robert Barber entered a not guilty plea to his assault charges. … The two best West Coast basketball conferences, the Pac-12 and the WCC, are 7-0 after the first rounds of the tourney. The Pac-12 is 5-0 itself, with USC picking up another come-from-behind win Friday, this one against 6th-seeded SMU. … UCLA didn’t pull away from Kent State until late, and Lonzo Ball had a bad fall. Will Steve Alford hear the cries of the Indiana faithful?… Oregon didn’t wear green on St. Patrick’s Day, but the Ducks did fly into the second round. … The L.A. schools’ spring practice is part of today’s football report, as in ESPN.com’s mailbag from Ted Miller.
Chiefs: Despite Kailer Yamamoto’s hat trick, Spokane fell 5-4 at Tri-City last night.
Empire: Colorado’s nickname is the Crush, which is exactly what happened to them last night against Spokane. The Empire rolled to a 70-37 road victory.
Mariners: The split-squad games continue though the big one yesterday was against the Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw. The M’s won, 5-2. … Drew Smyly returned to the team from the WBC. … It’s the time of spring when roster moves begin in earnest. And injured players try to get well.
Seahawks: The offensive line upgrades continued yesterday with the signing of another experienced guard. … There will be more free agents coming through.
Sounders: Seattle opens the home schedule tomorrow at CenturyLink and will do it with a revamped lineup. And the Sounders will celebrate their MLS title.
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• We’ll be back here this evening with our TV Take on the GU game. I’m going to sit at home today, partly because I’m not feeling well. Maybe aches and pains are just part of the aging process. Or maybe it’s because I had to listen to Len Elmore yesterday. Until later …