Wow UAB Sure Showed Us Who Doubted Didn't They?

If the NCAA Tournament works on the Bowl principle that says the earliest games set the tone for the whole shebang the after tonight first two games called cleverly by CBS the first 4 (what will tomorrow be the second 4? They'll market anything.) then we have to concluded that the outlook on the quality of this tournament is partly cloudy. The first game played between Arkansas Little Rock and UNC Ashville was a dandy. Little Rock lead the entire game, at times by comfortable margins, until Ashville tied the game with seconds remaining and then won it in OT 81-77. The prize that awaits Ashville one would think is to again board and airplane catch a little sleep and be fed to Pittsburgh on Thursday. Still their fans can claim a NCAA Tournament victory. I wonder how that feels.

The second of the play in games involved 2 12 seeds the Clemson Tigers and the UAB blazers. Two teams who many felt didn't belong in the tournament UAB especially. Clemson won 70-52. And let's be clear this wasn't one of those games that was a 4 point lead for Clemson made to look like a blow out because the Blazers resorted to fouling and their gas tank ran low. Clemson got out out to a 25-7 lead right away and though UAB did manage to get the lead down to 8 and keep it around 10 most of the second half at no point did they ever really make this a contest.

In other words if you thought UAB had no business in the tournament at the expense at say Colorado you saw nothing that even remotely made you change your mind from UAB tonight. Before tonight the 5 Colorado basketball fans in the world had to be seething that UAB got in the tournament instead of them. After tonight they have to be down right pissed to the gills. Of course it's Boulder so they are pissed to the gills anyway in some form or fashion. Bottom line most thought UAB didn't belong in this tournament and they went out themselves and proved they did not.

May or may not have a write up tomorrow night at least not one this long because Nebraska plays it's NIT game at 6 and that is where my priorities will lie. Even tonight I eschewed most of the first half of Little Rock and Ashville for House Hunters. Go ahead and laugh... it's one of the few shows that the Contessa and I both enjoy.