March, for a college basketball fan, it doesn't get any better than this! Well, looking at today's schedule, maybe we should wait until tomorrow to make that statement...
Afternoon match-ups:
#8 Maryland versus #9 Wake Forest, Noon
#5 N.C. State versus #12 Boston College, 2:00 PM
The first two, of four games today featuring a team with a 4-12 conference record. Not likely that we will see a lot of scintillating basketball today, but there have been some odd scores throughout the conference schedule, so you never know. From an NCAAT point-of-view, the only thing of importance is that NCSU absolutely cannot lay an egg against BC if they want to have any hope of grabbing an at-large bid.
I will be Liveblogging from Phillips Arena during the course of today's games, which can be found on the other other side of the break.
11:00 - Not basketball related, but if you are ever in Atlanta make sure to hit up Radial Cafe. The food/service is top-notch and the owner Frank is an alum of UNC.
11:05 - Master of the Obvious Statement: Phillips >>> Georgia Dome.
11:50 - The Wake Forest band is legit.
12:05 - NBA-style light show for player intros. Fancy.
12:15 - Maryland offense is stagnant in the half court. So easy to defend.
12:23 - Maryland and Wake are not good teams, but the pace of this game has been great.
12:40 - Maryland just has no court spacing. The zone is killing them.
12:51 - 1st-half thoughts: Stoglin has never met a shot he didn't love. C.J. Harris can ball. Nick Faust and Alex Len are going to be a load the next couple years.
13:04 - Refs wearing "KH" on theor shoes in support of Karl Hess is, in a word, absurd.
13:17 - Stoglin may be the Terps leading scorer, but I think Faust is their best player.
13:28 - Maryland is basically doing anything they want.
13:59 - Mark Turghard paced hard to the end; Jeff Bdzelik checked out a long time ago. Spent the last 4 minutes just sitting on the bench.
14:10 - Oh, yay... I'm sitting next to the Wolfpack Band. *rolls eyes*
14:34 - The only thing colder than the shooting to start the NCSU/BC game is the actual temperature inside Phillips.
14:39 - Somewhere Billy Packer just reflexively said, "It's over," and he's not sure why...
14:55 - State is up big because BC is terrible. Really not playing well, save for one short stretch where Wood hit a couple of threes.
15:15 - Against the top-4 in the ACC, NCSU is trailing by 10. Against BC, they are up 13...
15:41 - If we were across the street in the Georgia Dome, there still would not be enough room for the NCSU Band Director's ego.
16:12 - When CJ Leslie actually plays, he is really good. Stands around doing nothing far too much.
16:18 - Lots of people wearing Carolina blue heading for the exits. Think that's my cue. I'll catch you all at 7.