That’s why they call it Madness

The past couple of weeks have been filled with basketball at my house as well as most basketball fans across the United States. 

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is one of the best-attended events the NCAA provides. Television has made that happen.  

It has been said, the first day or so of the tournament are some of the most unproductive workdays in the year. I understand, since I spent most of the first day watching games.  

The other factor is games can be found on four different networks during the opening rounds. That makes it nice to be able to watch a game that might be more interesting or if there is a blow-out game, switch to one that is a little closer.  So we are off and running in that area.

 The first thing I have to add is maybe the NCAA selection committee knows best after all. 

Nebraska, with their play in the NIT, at least for that night, looked like that is where they belonged.  

I know it is a disappointment when you think you belong and then it doesn’t happen, but if you don’t make it, I would think you would want to prove your point with outstanding play, but that didn’t happen.  

Plus the teams the committee got into the tournament have provided some outstanding games in getting down to the Sweet Sixteen.

 After my column last week focused on things that have never happened in the tournament, this tournament produced one of the least likely events ever:  a No. 16 seeded team defeated a No. 1 seed.  

Eighty years of the tournament has never seen that happen and this year it did. Plus I would bet most people had never heard of the University of Maryland Baltimore County before they upset Virginia.  

I don’t remember them from anywhere. But one of their stats reported the only team from a top six conference UMBC had ever defeated was Nebraska. 

Another outstanding fact about Nebraska basketball that I am sure Nebraska would like to not be repeated. 

UMBC did not edge out Virginia, they didn’t get a great call from the officials, they just outplayed them the entire game. I am sure the No. 16 seed over a No. 1 seed was bound to happen eventually, but it is still hard to believe, even after watching it.

 A lot of close games, not many blow-outs and hopefully they will just get better as we get down to the Final Four.  

Maybe one of the better finishes was the Houston and Michigan game. Basketball is a game of a lot of little things that need done in order keep them from being big things that kill you, and you play until the buzzer goes off.  

Houston led by two points with 3.6 seconds left and they were shooting two free throws. Most people, including me as I watched, thought the game was pretty much all Houston but Michigan wasn’t thinking that way.  

The Houston player missed both free throws. Michigan grabbed the rebound called a time-out and set up a play for the last few seconds. 

Don’t know if what they did was exactly what was planned, but Jordan Poole drained one from about mid-court and Michigan went on to the final 16 teams. 

As a former coach, I felt happy for the Michigan bunch, but also a little sad for Houston and the kid that missed the free throws. 

I have been on both sides of that situation and that type of loss never seems to get out of your mind, especially if the game meant as much as the NCAA games mean. 

 Lastly, congrats to the Perkins County boys on their trip to the state tournament this year. Making the trip to Lincoln is always a great accomplishment. Although the game with Ponca didn’t go the way of the Plainsmen, it still was a good season.  

Losing to the State Champions isn’t the worst thing in the world. Ponca was an outstanding team that played extremely well at Lincoln and all season. 

Good job Coaches and players.