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Last night, U Conn cut down the nets with a 60-54 win over Kentucky. They were the highest combined seeds to ever play for a NCAA Basketball Championship, and they are two of the most storied programs in NCAA Basketball history. U Conn was a #7 seed, Kentucky a #8 seed, and they both had remarkable runs through the “tourney” to make it into the title game. U Conn ran away with the game early, but Kentucky did what they have done consistently throughout the tournament, come roaring back from behind. At the half, U Conn led 35-31. Throughout the second period, Kentucky would pull to within one point on several occasions only to see the play of Boatwright and Napier and the rest of the U Conn team enable them to pull ahead again. It was a great win for head coach Kevin Ollie, a U Conn alum and a great win for this team after serving a two year NCAA ban on post season appearances. Yet, usually when a team is banned from post season appearances, there are reasons for that, ie., they have broken the rules. Now, we can get into a debate about the NCAA and how it enforces it rules, do they do a good job of it, are some penalized unjustly while others not penalized enough. That is all a debate for another day. At the end of last night, point guard Shabazz Napier (arguably the best college point guard in the country) had secured his second ring. beginning his college career at U Conn with a national title and ending with one as well. Very impressive…he also added MVP to his resume.
So, the Kentucky faithful found themselves on the short end of the title game after one miraculous win after another to find themselves in the title game. They had complained loudly about their seeding and how tough their bracket was but managed to persevere and make into the Championship game inspite of it all. Kudos to them for that. For me personally, it is hard to get super excited when you really want to see a great basketball game for the National Championship, but you really don’t care which team wins. I did not have “a horse in this race” so to speak. I get a bit irked to be quite honest at Coach Cal’s never ending stable of one and done super freshman. But to his credit, he reloads every year. As far as U Conn, well they did beat Georgia Tech in the early 2000’s when Hewitt’s team of unheralded players made their miraculous run through the tournament and found themselves in the Title game. So, did I have a favorite? No. I guess I sort of pulled for U Conn, maybe I just struggle to pull for the SEC. Also, U Conn was left off of the invitation list from the ACC to the Big East as far as which teams they would like to join their powerful basketball conference. Louisville will join next year, not U Conn. Guess U Conn can enjoy a nice high five over that one! Impressive performance by both teams, and what a gutsy guy Boatwright is for staying in the game, even after suffering a sprained ankle in the second half. I am sure nothing was going to pull him out, short of an injury that would require him being carted off. When the clock ticked to .00, U Conn was hoisting the trophy and Kentucky was left to exit the court with disappointment, but still heads held high for their achievement in arriving to the final dance in this year’s journey to the tourney.
As always, my favorite part of the final “show” is the playing of One Shinning Moment with running highlights of the tourney. And by the way, did you all catch the Bud commercial? It was the same one that aired during the Super Bowl!
Again, congrats to the Huskies, the 2013-14 NCAA National Basketball Champions!
