An e-mail from one of my very favorite Wolfpackers got me thinking. How will NC State react to yesterday’s lost sumo wrestling match?
I think it all depends on today. A Terp win, and we can sell it as a reprieve, a second chance with a more favorable ACCT seed than if we had won. I think we could easily make the finals, and then the Elite Eight.
A Cavs win, and I could see yesterday breaking us. We lose on Thursday to a VPI team that apparently matches up well with us, and land in the 8/9 “ejector seat” game. No reason to make any plans for the second weekend of the dance, then.
Thus, this special edition live blog.
5:55 – Michigan’s uniforms are beyond “fashion risk” territory. The Oregon football program would be embarrassed to wear that.
5:57 – Michigan and Indiana are classic consistent, limited-ceiling teams. The second they play someone having a hot night, they won’t be able to keep up and their dance will end.
5:59 – Then again, such “insight” may explain why I’ve never won my office pool. YMMV.
6:00 – In an effort to f-ck with the ghost of Thomas Jefferson, I hear that Mark Turgeon will dress up as Alexander Hamilton. Look it up, non-history dorks.
6:03 – Natili made it up to Hooville so he can screw us over some more. Just dandy.
6:04 – Gonna watch the end of IU/Meechigan, I don’t think anyone is paying attention anyway.
6:08 – Not looking good for Tom Crean’s bunch. They may need to win the B1G tourney to keep a 1 seed (and they probably will). Meeechigan should lock up a 2.
6:13 – Maryland trapping a little bit. Effectively.
6:14 – 14-6! So far, both I and AH are pleased.
6:17 – In other news – Meeechigan chokes their 1-and-1s, and loses by a point. IU can now take the conference tourney off if they want.
6:18 – 18-6 at the second media TO. So far, the back door is delightfully wide open.
6:23 – UVA going with their own version of the dreaded three honky alignment.
6:25 – Nick Faust loves playing on the Sabbath. Insert your own joke.
6:26 – 25-8, Faust with THIRTEEN. Spchinters tightening across the Commonwealth.
6:30 – UVA starting to make a little run, with their superior size. BTW, a Terp win would likely mean they just need 1 upset in the ACCT, not two. But they get Duke on Friday regardless. Tall order.
6:33 – Hoos really struggling with MD’s athleticism. But turtles have gone very cold.
6:37 – Still, it’s 29-14 at the last media timeout. This next stretch will be crucial.
6:41 – Somebody set up a PayPal account so we can chip in and send Mark Turgeon a fruit basket.
6:42 – If MD was shooting better, they’d be up thirty.
Halftime – Maryland 32, Virginia 19. Bad last 10 seconds for Maryland, and the Hoos have momentum. It’s never easy for a Pack fan, that’s for damned sure.
7:05 – Lead now down to 11. Gulp.
7:06 – Zebras making late, weak calls to keep UVA in it. And MD is getting tight as a result. Down to TEN.
7:08 – Every call going UVA’s way. Blech.
7:10 – Yet ANOTHER late whistle. Ridiculous. As an aside, you have to expect a guy named “Truck” to be a super shitty free throw shooter. And he is.
7:11 – Maryland is going to lose this game.
7:12 – Refs miss two BLATANT Cavalier fouls, and Luckie Ts somebody up. Nowhere near an evenly called game. Touch fouls on MD whistled, clear hacks on UVA…play on.
7:16 – Refs are absolutely swinging this game. Single handedly.
7:18 – Alex Len really has regressed. Looked like he would be an impact player.
7:20 – This crew is a “Who’s Who” of garbage officials. Everyone but Herr Hess.
7:23 – Time to find Nick Faust again. He’s totally disappeared.
7:25 – Down to six. You know what will happen from here.
7:27 – Sparty beating NW, in completely irrelevant news. Carmody is getting fired very soon.
7:28 – Spoiler alert – Joe Harris will not be on my all-ACC team (which should go up tomorrow).
7:32 – Virginia fouls on every possession, usually twice. Like a low rent version of Duke.
7:35 – Side note – Maryland’s warmups look like 70s era velvet smoking jackets. I picked up one of those for the last time I dressed up for Halloween (Rudy the Armenian pimp from Kids in the Hall).
7:40 – Down to five. Almost over now.
7:42 – Another phantom foul bails out UVA.
7:43 – Len hammered, called for travelling.
7:44 – First over the back called on UVA all game. They do it incessently.
7:47 – UVA at the line with chance to cut it to 4, last media timeout. Maryland will need another pair of random threes, it’s all the offense they have. I’m assuming someone kidnapped Nick Faust.
7:49 – Neither of these teams belong in the dance.
7:52 – Late whistle from the out of position ref. Maryland has also completely tanked. It will be down to one, and soon all over. A Thursday loss to VPI awaits.
7:55 – Defense goes to sleep, tie game. What a choke.
7:57 – You know MD won’t score (and UVA won’t be called for a foul), so UVA will have the final shot for win or OT.
8:00 – Wells hits, and UVA calls timeout with 6.9 left. Please, please, please force the ball to Evans and foul him. Why would UVA call time when Harris had the ball?
8:02 – Overtime as another Wahoo foul isn’t called. Alex Len sucks.
8:05 – There’s no reason to watch the OT. UVA will win big. Awful game.
8:07 – MD can’t throw it in the ocean. I’m signing off. Time to read a book.
