Good show
Say what you will about the weather and accommodations here, but Buffalo got to host two great games today - one decided by three points on the last possession, the other in overtime after the eventual winner blew a 19-point lead and was forced into overtime. There weren't all that many empty seats after all; the crowd was announced as well over 18,000 for each game. They got their money's worth.
You can't ask for much more than Butler 62, Maryland 59, especially when so much rode on every rebound (like all the ones Maryland missed at the end), shot (like the ones Butler kept missing but still rebounding and turning into something meaningful) and whistle (like the one Terp fans are getting bent out of shape over, the offensive foul on D.J. Strawberry, which wasn't an egregiously bad call - not wrong at all, in fact. Sorry, Brandon Crone was there when Strawberry got there and turned to the baseline. It would be hard - not impossible, but hard - not to make that call.
Butler's a great story, and that's what the tournament is all about. VCU is a good story, too, but it ended a little while ago, with Pitt winning in overtime. Pitt made enough of its free throws in overtime to hold on, although not the one in regulation that would have averted overtime. The CAA might really have to be considered a major conference now, and so might the Horizon (Butler's league). In fact, dispensing with the term "mid-major,'' period, is overdue. It's obsolete. And it doesn't make a lot of sense, anyway.
Add the two games in Buffalo today to the two overtime games elsewhere earlier - Ohio State sidestepping an upset and Vanderbilt outlasting Washington State - and Texas A&M's escape against Louisville, and you've had a great day, and the night games are only just starting.
I should say it's a great day if I'm not looking at my bracket. I picked all the wrong double-digit-seeded upsets. Albany. George Washington. Georgia Tech. Holy Cross. Should've picked Winthrop instead. Four of my Sweet 16 were done in the first round. I have no credibility; in fact, you're doing me a big favor by even still reading this blog with predictions like that.
Comments
Real proud of the Terps this season, especially in the 2nd half. Looking forward to next year. Today's game, in my opinion, boiled down to one major factor; free throws. Most teams that won today shot at least 70% from the charity stripe. If the Terps would have shot a mediocre 65% from the line, they would have won. No team today shot worse from the foul line than the Terps. (46.7%) Can't blame Gary for that. Sure they gave up a lot of threes. But with Senior Ebekwe giving up two useless fouls by swinging his elbows after a rebound, in addition to smokin Butler from the foul line by shooting 0 for 4, he paved the way for a Terps loss. We'll get em next year!
Posted by: Rich | March 17, 2007 10:30 PM
If David Steele knew anything about basketball, he would know a player has to be given room when he receives the ball to come down with it. Strawberry was not given any room. It was a bogus call, but it certainly didn't decide the game. The Terps blew it from the line. I wish Steele knew a little more about hoops, but he is an over weight sportswriter. Let's go O's.....
Posted by: Scott | March 17, 2007 11:07 PM
I disagree.
The charge on Strawberry cost the Terps the game, plain and simple.
The call on Strawberry was atrocious. Basketball rules dictate a defensive player must allow an airborne offensive player to land, otherwise it's a defensive foul. It was a horrible call...describing it as anything less than that is ridiculous...I'm not even a Maryland alum. Let's just call a spade a spade: that call made the difference in the game.
As much as the Terps had many other opportunities to win the game - like shooting above 50% at the line - that does not mean we should be expect poor officiating. That's not how sports work. The guy blew the call, plain and simple. It happens. Oh well. Let's just be honest in admitting that he got it wrong and it likely cost the Terps a heck of a good chance of winning the game, or at least tying it up.
Posted by: Mike | March 17, 2007 11:35 PM
Sorry David, but Crone has to allow for Strawberry to land. Crone clearly slid under DJ while he was in the air. Yet, another in a long string of calls that went Butler's way. And this was easily Gary's WORST coaching job of the season.
Posted by: DaveJ | March 18, 2007 2:03 AM
David,
I have never responded to any article here prior. I like to visiit here to get the news. But, to say that this was not one of the worst calls in the NCAA tournament, yet alone the right calll, lets just say I would think you were for another team. I think even the biggest Butler fan would say the charge was a horriible call. What game were you watching?
Scott
Posted by: Scott Yockus | March 18, 2007 2:20 AM
Crone wasn't there, he was still moving into place when Strawberry slammed into him. In turn it made it look worse than it was and since refs love to call the charge now it was called that way. Doesn't make it right. Not that the Terps deserved to win anyway, they were outplayed by a more disciplined, better shooting team. You are the only person I have seen so far who said a thing negative about the Terps not fouling at the end of the game. Gary screwed that one up big time.
Posted by: Ryan | March 18, 2007 9:55 AM
Your statement about the charge is just not accurate. The defensive player has to be set before the offensive player leaves the air. There's no denying that the Butler player undercut Strawberry once he was in the air. Additionally, it’s a common practice not to call charges on players when the defender is standing underneath the basket, which was the case in this situation.
Either way, Maryland never should have been that situation where one bad call could affect the outcome of the game.
Posted by: Ryan B | March 18, 2007 2:50 PM