Lin captured this one yesterday and I loved the fact it included the Ball, Mascot, Cheerleader and a very determined Kiddo from The Hill shooting a Free Throw.
Ashville and Duluth – what’s at stake for the 12 teams playing the six games ?
Duke and UNC are chasing a spot in the Top 16 in the seeding for the Big Dance 💃!! The Top 16 teams on the Ladies side play the first two games in their own Gymnasium and this is Huge. Both the Heels and the Devils rode this luxury deep into the tournament last year.
Louisville is safely in the 16, baring an ugly loss today.
Brad out at Olde Mill will be rooting hard for his Wolfpack today but knows they probably need to win 2 more to open in Raleigh.
The underdogs in Duluth each did exactly what they needed to do yesterday to punch 👊 their ticket 🎟. Anything now is icing so look for each of them to play loose.
It’s a different animal here in Ashville where the Semi-final games begin in just a few hours. Each of the four teams set to play just want to make it to Sunday. The two winners get Saturday off while the Men play their quarterfinals.
East Tennessee State University versus Samford University instead of Wofford College is the lone surprise in the six games. The Bucs and the Bulldogs play Game 2 today and each of the four know that the SOCON will be a one bid league this season in the NCAA. UT – Chattanooga might have received consideration before stumbling late in the regular season.
Yesterday, Lin and I watched basketball in the Harrah’s Cherokee Center for close to nine hours in hopes of seeing Alyssa and the rest of the league play. We were hoping that she would enjoy the opportunity to play a role in a post season tournament game.
What we didn’t know was that she would score her collegiate career high of 27 points and play a level of defense like a hungry dog 🐕 chasing its dinner. On a night where Clare Coyle picked up two early fouls, Pierre Curtis needed a Go-To and his Sophomore said I got you Coach.
Today they face the only team that swept them in the regular season in the Mocs. They are led by the Player of the year and she put on a show yesterday afternoon by scoring 14 of her teams first 16.
We have our tickets 🎟 for Day 2 and will head back over to the Arena shortly !
Check back as often as you like today !
Morning 🌄 steps 🚶♂️, now Hoops !!!
The DJ is playing to the Kids and they are enjoying the tunes !
Slow start for the Paladins has led Coach Pierre Curtis to call a TO at 6:47. Mocs leading 8-0 and Furman has lost a starter to injury.
Duke leads 12-8 @ the under 5 !
Pearl brakes the ice 🧊 with a 3 and Coyle scores on the break. Just like that its 8-5
McGowens is back in !!!!!!
Both teams here playing intense defense and both teams in Duluth are playing intense offense.
Stuart shooting FT’s at 0:01.3 – YY
Mocs 14 – 9 after 1st. Furman recovering from early 🕳 hole. Might have been showing the effects of finishing up at 8pm last night 🌙.
Duke leads 22 -14, early 2nd.
Big Key 🔑 to UT-C defense is their ability to double team in a blink of an eye.
8:28 (2) – Ervin for 3, down 16-12
Mocs very aggressive on the offensive glass. Parnell (Galax High ) ties it up at 16!!!
TO at 4:46 (2) – this time its Coyle on the floor, hoping for the best. Mocs scored five quick ones, lead 21 – 16
Duke 30, Clemson 17 (5:21 -2)
McGowens for 3!
Corbiitt hits consecutive 3’s and leads the Mocs with 14.
At the half, 33-23 UT-C.
Coyle was at the scorers table waiting to check back in so that is a HUGE bonus for the second half here!
Duke leads 34 -19 with just over 1:00 left in the first half.
Furman University played Game 4 yesterday while UT-C played at 11am. Fresher legs ➕ two first half injuries have dug a hole 🕳 but Coach Pierre has a way in the lockeroom at Halftime so don’t go away just yet.
Once the final horn 🎷 sounds here, its a dash to the Car 🚗 for the drive to Linda K Epling Stadium 🏟 in Beckley, West Virginia but the coverage will continue throughout the day.
Set to resume at 12:03 pm
Corbitt is up to 22 and the lead is 13.
7:14 (3) Ervin for 3 from the top of the key 🔑
Media TO in Ashville – 4:45 (3) – Mocs 46 – 32
Duke is pitching a 3rd quarter shutout down in the AT, leading 44 – 19 with 6:00 left in the 3rd
Travis found the official feed from Furman University about last night 🌙
McGowens is doing everything she can to keep the ‘Dins in it. Down 49 – 35
Ervin from deep at 3:15, McGowens has 12.
1:09 & 0:36, Kiddo for 3 !! Still fighting 💪 but still down 14.
Parnell is the 3rd Paladin player to be injured and is headed to the lockeroom in hopes of stopping the bleeding. The officials are reviewing the play at 0:04.4
End of 3rd in ATL has Dukeleading by 18, 46-28.
Call 📞 here, foul on us.
62 – 46 after the third quarter. Big Hill to climb but doable! Ervin 15, McGowens 12, Coyle 8, Pearl 5.
Furman is still playing Full Throttle here in the 4th quarter ! Coyle is now in double figures with 11.
Furman TO at 7 :18, down 73 – 53 after consecutive 3’s.
Furman 8-0 run 🏃♂️ after Pearl hits a 3!!
Clemson within 14 at 3:30 left
Furman 10-0 after Stuart drives hard!
Coyle beats the defense in a foot race 🏁 and UT-C needs a TO as the lead is down to just eight ( 73 – 65 ). WOW 👏
We forced a shot clock ⏰ violation but turned it over. TO at 3:14, down 73 – 65.
Under 2:00, same score..Furman just 1 foul this quarter.
Mocs finally score a basket 🧺.
0:31.9 – down 10, 75 -65
0:29.0 – down 11
Plenty of Hoops coverage still to come.
Hidalgo and Notre Dame making life difficult for NC State, leading 34 – 22 late in the first half
Wolfpack are slowly climbing back into things while Samford University continues to chase the dream.
Irish open the 3rd quarter on an unbelievable 16-1 run 🏃♂️ that should seal the deal and earn them a date with Duke tomorrow.
Four Updates at 3pm :
Samford running away from ETSU 47 – 33 at the end of 3rd.
Notre Dame 62 – 41 after 3rd
➕ Welcome to Virginia and Golden Bears 🐻 lead 4-3 in the opening game !
Kentucky Christian ✝️ just hit a Grand Slam with one out in the top of the 8th, now lead 7 – 4.
The ACC is on a break right now but still has 2 more games tonight.
3:39 – Golden Bears 🐻 are heading to the bottom of the Ninth, down 7-4.
KCU issued a international walk with first base open and Lawrence Nesselrodt waved all three runners 🏃♂️ home !!!!
Short break until we have more action 🎬.
Remember that time when you had been in the car for 7 straight days and when you were within 45 minutes of home and went to West Virginia instead ?????
We aren’t laughing at you, we’re laughing with you… saside nobody
Top 3rd, 1-1 here in Beckley as Hoops are set to resume in Atlanta…
The team greeted us with a 3-run 💣💣💣 and we lead 4-2, top 4th….
Here, its 4-4, Top 5th
Game six of six should play well back on The Hill as the area is full of Hokies and Heels fans !
Knights have loaded the bases here in the Top of the 5th. Cole Brown inherits the jam out of the bullpen.
Knights plate two, lead 6-4 as we head to the bottom of the 5th in the 7 inning game.
Louisville gets a quick start, 6-0 and now leads by 18.
Media TO (3rd)- Cards 57 – 40. We are still looking for a meaningful 4th quarter in Georgia.
Louisville up by 20, 67 – 47 with 8+ to play.
Another Golden Bear 🐻 crosses home plate in the bottom of the sixth, now trailing 7-5 with two outs.
Cards by 23 with 3+ left and the #2 seed will await the winner of VT – UNC.
Last at bat here for our Golden Bears 🐻, need two to tie 👔, three to win and sweep the day.
Louisville never flinched and the Cuse never had a chance. #1,2 and 5 have advanced with one more to make it a quartet. Hokies – Heels in 30.
Copeland with a riffle shot to left for a RBI double, now 7-6.
A.S.P.N on The Hill 