Brother Osborne :

Good morning! It’s another Big Day in the world of Women’s Basketball!! I just wanted to send you my two cents, which is now worth five cents!!…

Game#1- Clemson vs. VA.
I like the ninth seeded Va. in this match-up. Clemson’s defense is strong, but I think Virginia’s High Scoring Offense will be enough to overcome. Should be a Great Game!!!

Game#2- Miami vs. Notre Dame. I’m going with the High Scoring Offense of the “Fighting Irish” to send Miami further South 🤔

Game#3- Syracuse vs. California. I’m going out on a limb here with California for the Win! Their last match-up was a nail bitter that went to 3 O.T. California will be looking for revenge. Should be another Great ACC match-up!!!

Game#4- Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech. I’m going to go with the Hometown team for the Win! VT’s Offense has been 🔥 this Season and I expect that 🔥 to carry them to the next round!!

I saved The Best for last!!! The SoCon match-up of Furman vs. Mercer. I’m looking for a close game in this match-up, but I’m going to go with Furman and our Very Own Alyssa Ervin. I’m looking for Ervin to have a BIG DAY leading the Paladin Offense across the finish line!!!🔥🔥

There’s my five cents 💲 with that and $5 you can get yourself a cup of coffee!!☕️

Best of luck to all, let’s Play Ball!!!

Travis, Thank You 🙏 and Linda is enjoying the cup of coffee ☕ you mentioned !

Alyssa Ervin and Furman University will not play until 5:45 but things get underway here and Duluth, Georgia at the top of the hour !

Pre – Game Photos 📷

The SoCon tournament is officially underway at 11:03 !

We are about 8 feet from the court and less than that from the Mocs Band & Cheerleaders.

The folks here have borrowed a page from the ACC by 🚌ing in Elementary school and Middle School children for Day 1. Lots of noise, some that makes sense and some that doesn’t.

Media TO #1 of many (4:19)

Mocs leading 16 – 7 with one player having 14 of the 16.

Clemson leads Virginia, 10-8

11:15 – The Lady 👩 Paladins are in the house 🏠 for the first time today. Not sure for how long but they are taking in some of the opening game.

End of 1st – Mocs 19-11

Clemson 15, Virginia 14 after 1st

2nd quarter Media TO – Mocs 21 -15

Clemson 26 -24 , as close as expected !

At the Half : Mocs 30-19, Clemson 28-26

End of 3rd quarter – Mocs 55-33,  Clemson 43 -39 [12:24]

Last Media TO of Game 1’s : Mocs 60-37, Clemson 55-45.

12:46 – Final score 1 of 8 : Mocs 66-47

One of the two or three biggest differences between the two events is that down in Georgia they will play two games, empty the building and then play two games. Here in Ashville, they will simply play four straight games.

That explains why if both started at 11am, the final start times are 5:45 here and 7:30 down there.

The next difference between the two worth mentioning is here both the 8 Women’s teams and 10 Men’s teams play in the same building during the same window. The ACC Men will play in Charlotte, North Carolina next week.

Virginia Military Institute and The Citadel are the two schools 🏫 when just a Mens team.

1:21 – Game Time here…..

First Media TO (4:55) and UNC – G is pitching a shutout, 10-0. ETSU finished up as the hottest 🔥 team in the SoCon but has struggled early on.

Reasons why we care about UNC-G : we were married there, had a daughter who was born there and Lin earned her 2 year degree from GTCC while we were there.

Reason why we care about ETSU : The Leonard family 👪 has a Son attending School there!

The last of the School Children 🏫 have left the building and its worth noting that they did so in an incredibly planned out manner!!!

Once the Bucs scored at 3:54, they followed it with four 3-pointers. Tied at 14 at the end of 1st.

Miami 11, Notre Dame 6 early 1st

Irish 23, Canes 19 – end of 1st

32-26 Bucs at the break (2pm)

Irish 37- 23 at the break. It will be interesting to see if any of the three teams that won yesterday can steal one today ????

Media TO at 4:56, ETSU leads 36 – 28.

End of 3rd, ETSU leads 49 – 38. After falling behind 12 -0, the Bucs have taken care of business !

Media TO at 4:58, Spartans have cut ✂️ it to just 8 at 53 – 45…..

Fighting Irish lead 58 – 40 at the end of the 3rd quarter in Duluth

3:07 pm – Final 3 of 8

27:00 on the clock ⏰

---

Next one here is a battle of the Dogs 🐕 as the Terriers face the Bulldogs…

Tip in a few….

WoffordCollege versus Samford University…

Dinner 🍽 break in Georgia as they clear out the building. California and Syracuse at 5pm.

Wofford 11-7 at Media TO (3:24)

Our next Stop ✋ is Beckley, West Virginia as we are preparing to host a 3 – game set with Kentucky Christian ✝️ University.

The weather forecast has already changed the layout as we have went from 1 on Friday and 2 on Saturday to 2 on Friday afternoon and 1 on Saturday morning 🌄.

When we leave here will be determined by the Lady Paladins…

4:01 – end 1st, Wofford 16, Samford 11

There are 25 visible Hall of Fame banners, trying hard to figure out if I got them all…

Media TO in 2nd – 4:37

Wofford leading 20 – 15

Samford on fire 🔥, leading 25-21 10-1run), Wofford TO at 2+

4:22 pm – Halftime score 28 -23 with the underdogs ahead of the Big Dogs 🐕

Furman University is back in the house 🏠.after a Hotel lobby send off….

Samford University up 39-25, 24-5 run 🏃‍♂️

Wofford called a TO at 4:25 as they now trail 47 – 29 (32-9 run 🏃‍♂️)

Media TO at 3:17(3rd), Samford by 15, 47-32. Evening session about to Tip in Georgia…

Samford currently shooting 61% from 3!!

Samford 0 of 4 at the line, allowing Wofford to pull within 51- 43 at the end of the 3rd

14 – 4 rally by Wofford to ✂️ 18 to 8. Should be a great 4th quarter

Syracuse 23, California 7 after 1st…

While trying to shorten the game here in the 4th, Samford had the shot clock ⏰ expire twice.

59 – 53 at 3:30S

Samford calls TO at 2:54 as their 18 point lead is now down to just four at 59 – 55

2:01 – Third time in 4th that the Bulldogs failed to beat the shot clock ⏰ and then are called for a charge at 1:23

FINAL Minute :

0:48 – Wofford ball down 2

0:39 – offensive foul, ball to Samford

Samford runs down the clock ⏰ and fires an airball but……Wofford does the same on a attempt to win it with a 3….

0:00.8 put back on the clock ⏰, possession Samford University.

Timeout called..

Wofford fouled but it was only their third

5:35 – first upset of the day in either venue as Samford University holds on in a thrilling contest.

27 :00 on the Clock ⏰

Clare Coyle was named to the 1st Team !!

6:10 PM – Play ▶️ Ball !!!!!

Media TO at 4:22 – Furman University leads 9-7 Kiddo has 4 points (2-4 shooting) ➕ 1 rebound & 1 Assist to Coyle.

Travis Osborne is smiling because Cal has pulled within 10 of Syracuse late in the 3rd quarter…

Miss Parnell and Alyssa on the floor together = 40% of the Paladins Five are from Galax, Virginia !

6:32 – end of 1st, trailing 12 – 11. Cal within six at 50-44 early in the 4th

6:11 & 5:20 – Kiddo with back 2 back Rainbow 🌈 3’s !!!!

Media TO at 4:52, we trail 20-19. Ervin leads the way with 10

4:36 – Ervin fouled while shooting a 3 – N, Y, Y

3:50 – defensive rebound and end to end layup ( now 14)

6:57 – Halftime 👔d at 29-29

Cuse by 9 over Cal in the final minute.

Coyle picked up 2 early fouls which removed her for most of the first half. The opening few minutes of the 3rd will be HUGE

Final #6 of 8 is in :

7: 12 – ready for the 3rd quarter here and its Win or Go Home for the’Dins…..

We are four minutes in and no points for Furman so far in the third. Ervin is playing jacked up defensive with 2 straight steals and 1 by deflection but Mercer leads 32 -29

Kiddo sparks an 8-0 run 🏃‍♂️ with a corner 3, Stuart added one from up top and then Coyle dropped her second basket 🧺 of the game to force a Mercer TO

3:13 – Ervin fouled on a 3 – Y,Y,Y!!! Up 40-37

2:23 – Ervin fouled on scoop shot – Y & Y!! Now with 22, leading 42 – 37.

We have reached the end of the 3rd, we are up six at 45 – 39. Kiddo with 22, 6 rebounds and enough steals to be a professional Shoplifter….

10:00 more minutes……

7-0 spurt when Stuart launched a 3 that went in, out and back in. Assist to Kiddo and Mom 👩 made the big board during the celebration as Mercer called a TO down 13 (7:54-4)….

4:55 was on the Clock ⏰ when Kiddo hit yet another Rainbow 🌈 3 that barely moved the bottom of the net. Mercer TO at 4:50, down 57 -40 now.

We were tied at 37 – 37 so quick Math = 20-3 run 🏃‍♂️

2:19 – Step back baseline jumper that she knew was in when it left her hand ✋.

TO – 1:50 (4), Ervin sits down for the very first time!  Pearl adds a 3, 64 – 40!!!!

8:03 -Final Score –

In a word – Kiddo put on a clinic, except for that part when she took the 40th minute off……

Time to turn the Wheel over to Mr Osborne while Lin and I transition back to our Hotel 🏨. Travis will keep us in the know about the Battle between the Techs !

15-0 run by the Hokies gives them the 29-23 lead at the half!

The Yellow Jackets buzz back in the 3rd quarter to cut the deficit to 4. Hokies take the 50-46 lead going into the final 10:00

Thank You Sir !!

Georgia Tech picked a bad time to go 5+ minutes without scoring a point. Yellow Jackets are still in it but they are running out of time (2:53, down 7)

9:24 pm, 10 hours and 24 minutes from opening tip, its all over in Duluth.

8 games in two venues today becomes six games in two venues tomorrow – once again beginning at 11:00 am in both Ashville and Duluth !

Travis signs off with this :

The Hokies holding strong on both sides of the ball in the final quarter to take the Win 62-54 to advance to the Quarterfinals tomorrow where they will face UNC. That’s a Wrap!!! A Great Day of Basketball!!!🏀🏀

Amen 🙏! Brother, Great Day of Women’s Basketball 🏀👏