Carolina And Duke Advance

I don't know whether they have played in the same building back to back since 1979 there have been too many NCAA games to remember where they were played but Carolina and Duke play back to back Sunday in Charlotte. I don't know whether that has happened since the infamous Black Sunday Blue Monday in 1979 when both Duke and Carolina lost one point games in Reynolds Coliseum In Raleigh and then the following Monday all three ACC teams who were playing in the NIT all lost.

Kyrie is back for Duke and Coach K could not have asked for a better game plan in order to get Irving playing time, a runaway from the opening whistle. Irving got better as the game wore on but I tell you what I see about this Duke team now is their big men are now a part of the offense so they don't have to live for the 3. This victory was #899 for Coach K and if the Devils win Sunday he would be only the second D-1 coach to ever win 900 in a career.

Carolina could not have gotten better play from their big three as Carolina went over 100. Despite dominating inside Carolina gave up close to 90 points which to me is a major concern. Carolina kicks off the Sunday action at 12.15 Sunday on CBS and Duke will be on CBS twenty five minutes after the Carolina Game. No need for the remote tomorrow.

I like the new TV format with four different networks handling the games. In the past if you were watching Carolina leading by 30 they would switch to another game which I wanted to see all the Carolina game. This format I can do the switching when I want to. The only thing I haven't liked is Charles Barkley. Just like Sidney Lowe is a pro coach Barkley is a pro commentator and his style is not very good for college basketball. Kenny Smith has been very good between games but not Barkley.

Despite having four different games going they all seemed to be in commercials at the same time which was very annoying.

I am 24-8 in my best bracket after the second round. I still have 15 of 16 in my sweet 16 and that one I don't have winning next week so I feel like a miler running a race. I'm lagging behind waiting to pounce the closer the finish line comes.

How's Your Bracket? After The First day

I am in two NCAA pools with money on the line and then I am in several just to see how I stack up with the nation. The way I have always done brackets is once I have the brackets I make my first impression picks. Yesterday I was 10-6 on those games. I have not lost any of my final 16 teams yet so the one’s I missed are not killing me to this point.

The second bracket that I do I sit down and look at who is playing who and where. There is a good chance that both North Carolina and Duke will win both of their games in Charlotte because the house will be full of their fans which almost makes it a home game for both. That bracket I was 12-4. I would feel a lot better about the next couple of weeks if I had of gotten at least 13 right.

This is old news but way to go J’Kyra Brown who was named Player of The Year in the Big East Basketball. Just a sophomore we will get to see her for two more years and I hope next year she can play with a smaller knee brace than the one she played with all season after hurting her knee the summer of her freshman year. If she can win POY and not be at 100% what will she be like healthy?

Tia Hudgins who like brother Terrell has a magnet around the basket and the ball just comes her way was also on the All Conference team. She as a junior will return next year. Timisha Walker was also on the all conference team and she was for the Gryphons what Chris Bosh is to the Miami Heat. She let’s the stars shine and cleans up behind them an she cleaned up enough to make all conference too.

Pam Gainey won another coach of the year award. There are not many coaches in any sports around this area that are any better as a coach than Pam. Her only problem is she can’t teach height. If she could only find one player to be a giant in the middle to go along with what she has coming back. The Gryphons will be good next year but I don’t know about sectional finals good without a big person in the middle.

Exzavier Cooper and Tevin Taylor made all conference for the Gryphon boys. Ex played only one year for the Gryphons and lead the team in scoring. I was really glad to see Tevin as a junior make the All Conference team. Last year as a sophomore Tevin started but he had such a hard time hitting his outside shots that he played the first four minutes and didn’t see him again for rest of the game. This year his outside shooting allowed Kenyatta Bullock freedom to shoot his outside shots instead of double teaming him which helped allow the Gryphons to advance to the Regional.

Softball lost at Louisburg last night 7-4. They are still winless on the season but they continue to creep closer and closer to a win. I have a feeling next week those girls are going to break a 30 some game losing streak and when it happens ESPN ought to be here.

We have plans right now to cover the Tarboro -Rocky Mount softball game next Friday night. I hope the streak is over by then but wouldn’t it be something to have that first win for TV when it happens. The way these girls enjoy playing even though they keep losing when ever they finally win a national championship celebration can’t be any better.