Words eye view 

Basketball from a fan perspective

Disappointing loss

Arkansas had won 8 consecutive games, despite this fact Mizzou could have won if they played just a little better.  Arkansas had 20 turnovers in the game, so they certainly didn’t overpower Mizzou.  The final score read Arkansas 70 Mizzou 64.  I mentioned the issue I see with this Mizzou team, as much as I like Dru Smith he's not the man.  Moses Moody of Arkansas saddled with foul trouble in comes reserve JD Notae off the bench.  Notae proceeds to take up the slack scoring 27 points for the Razorbacks including a wild shot at a crucial stage when Mizzou closed the gap on Arkansas.  Mizzou plays reasonably good defense but often comes up short on the offensive end.  10 offensive fouls on Mizzou certainly didn't help but is not an excuse.  

It’s covid

A few weeks ago, we made the statement covid could impact post season college basketball play.  It’s done just that as Virginia, Kansas and Duke have all withdrawn from conference tournaments.  At this point we are unsure how the NCAA tournament will be affected should the above teams and others test positive.  We knew this could occur based on the plague that began in this nation last March.  We must continue to do the things suggested by the Department of Health and Human Services, social distancing, wear a mask, washing our hands frequently.   

“Times yours”

I borrowed the phrase from Chiefs coach Andy Reid, after addressing the media he always says "Times yours", ask me questions.  I was once chastised for my writing reporting, “Why are you writing about basketball when football is in season?”  I laughed about the comment for several reasons, where is it written anyone writing or discussing sports must only report that sport which is currently being played?  Allow me to provide you a couple of examples, one of the local television stations telecasts the Locker Room Show 12 months of the year. 

Most of the time the coverage is focused on the NFL Chiefs, this morning on the CBS Sports Network Boomer and Gio the discussion was NFL football, and this is March 12, the last football game was the Super Bowl played February 7.  There is no intent on my part to provoke an argument just a simple discussion.  We gravitate toward those sports that interest us if you are not into basketball that's okay.  I refuse to listen when you inform me, I should stick to the sport in season.   

1947

Most of the time we mention 1947 and sports historians focus on Jackie Robinson and breaking the color barrier in baseball.  Another event not so noteworthy at the time in the annals of history occurred in college basketball.  I was reminded of the story hearing Kareem Abdul Jabbar discuss his legendary college coach the late John Wooden. The basketball marvel indicated Wooden never told him about this event, he would read it about it later.  Wooden coached Indiana State Teachers College now Indiana State University prior to his time at UCLA. Below provides us an example of the humanity of the late legendary basketball coach John Wooden. 

“In 1947, Wooden's basketball team won the Indiana Intercollegiate Conference title and received an invitation to the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball (NAIB) National Tournament in Kansas City. Wooden refused the invitation, citing the NAIB's policy banning black players. One of Wooden's players, Clarence Walker, was a black man from East Chicago, Indiana. In 1948, Wooden again led Indiana State to the conference title. The NAIB had reversed its policy banning African-American players that year, and Wooden coached his team to the NAIB National Tournament final, losing to Louisville. This was the only championship game a Wooden-coached team ever lost. That year, Walker became the first African-American to play in any post-season intercollegiate basketball tournament.”

According to the history the “NAIB transformed into the NAIA in 1952 as additional sports were added.  In 1953 it became the first conference to invite HBCU teams to its membership.”  

Wikipedia

Defensive Player of the Year

I was familiar with the name Lefty Driesell; he is the former longtime coach associated with Maryland basketball.  I didn’t realize there was a post-season award named in his honor.  In addition to a player of the year candidate a defensive team is also selected, there are 30 players nominated among them Mizzou guard Dru Smith.  I have doubts if Smith wins the individual honor however it is still a tribute to be nominated, hopefully he will earn a spot on the team.  Regardless of the outcome congratulations are due Smith and the grit he brought to Mizzou basketball.