Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, is set to host half of the Sweet 16 in Women’s Basketball 🏀 and it’s a talented group of Ladies set to take the stage across the four days starting Friday !

It’s been a minute or two (9 years) since I attended a Joel Osteen Night of Hope event in the pristine arena in downtown Sacramento, but I remember it well.

Duke University Women’s Basketball is the #3 seed in the chalk heavy bracket of loaded teams playing on Friday.

On Saturday, there are four more teams with one BIG surprise !

Virginia needed double overtime to win a game in front of 14, 332 screaming Iowa Hawkeye fans to become the first team to advance from the First Four to the Sweet 16.

7 teams and fan bases that absolutely felt they were heading to the Capitol city of California and one awesome surprise.

At 2,646 miles from our home, I am thinking that it is the arena that sits in the lower 48 states that is the furthest from our 🏠???? It turns out that Seattle is 80 miles further and the same for Portland, Oregon.

LSU just broke the All-Time scoring record for most games in triple figures by doing it for the 17th time in the second round versus Texas Tech.

Both LSU and UCLA were part of the 3-6 start by our beloved Lady Blue Devils, and in both cases, we were overmatched. On the flip side of that, Baylor University defeated us in the season opener over in Paris, France 🇫🇷 by 6 points and we won the rematch on Sunday, 69 – 43.

Quick math says that’s a 32-point improvement from the first time around.

We were in the building in Las Vegas when UCLA edged us in late November

Quick math part 2: If we are 32 points better now than in November = we would edge UCLA by 2 points ‼️and advance to the Final Four in Phoenix the following weekend..

The next game after UCLA took place at Cameron Indoor against LSU. We jumped out to a 14 – 1 lead before 92-63 in the other direction. Still, the 29-point turnaround falls inside of the 32-point improvement, so once again, we are Golden !

Seriously though, the odds of finding away past LSU and UCLA in back to back games on the other side of the Country is slim to none but just take a look at what the University of Virginia just accomplished and one can find hope !

The Lady Cavaliers defeated a fellow #10 seed in Arizona State, then upset #7 Georgia and stunned #2 Iowa at Iowa to get to Northern California.

The only thing standing 🧍‍♂️between / protecting me from using our tickets to the game is that we are set to host Pulaski County High School in a softball doubleheader, and commitment is a real thing for me.

With that said, when we chased the Lady Devils around the globe 🌎 back in our November to Remember, we went to special places like Paris, France 🇫🇷, Vegas and even watched them play a game at The Greenbriar Resort in West Virginia. Back then, we weren’t sure what our 3-5 team would turn into, but now we know!

26 – 8 minus 3-5 = 23 -3 or 23-2 since the LSU loss.

For those who want to take a shot at the fact Duke ” only ” plays in the ACC, I would point out that our league has FIVE of the Sweet 16 as Louisville, Notre Dame and North Carolina are still alive in addition to Duke and UVA. They just get to play down in Texas, which is only halfway across the country.

It’s been a great experience with Kira Lawson coaching up our Blue Devils for the past few years, and no matter what happens out in No Cal, we will have Sunday to hold onto.

Besides, it’s not like it’s going to rain out our softball games on Friday afternoon.

So, you’re saying that there’s a chance????

Welcome 🙏 to Tuesday, March 24th, as we pre-package our Morning 🌄 Brew ! Boys 👦 Soccer ⚽️ and Baseball ⚾️ are set to take center stage, our Golden Bears 🐻 host an old friend, and we have one of the other types of trips to Duke University.

Sweet 16 times set for Friday night out in Sacramento !

Here we go, on a noticeably longer version of the morning kick-off. We heard from Mrs Beth Bouldin yesterday during the Junior Varsity Softball game and here is a great time to share her thoughts on a sunny 🌞 wind blown day.

Sitting in the parking lot at Tommy Thompson field at CCHS, waiting for my guy to finish weightlifting.

Looking around me and Spring sports have certainly sprung at CCHS. Softball, tennis, and soccer are all busy little bees out there!

Maybe not the best pictures, but it’s a BEAUTIFUL day to be a Cavalier!!

Yes, Ma’am, a BEAUTIFUL day to be a Cavalier !

Varsity Softball team was gathered around Coach Nester and Coach Leath after practice.

Sometimes, when West Virginia Tech plays their mid-week game, there is no special thing about the opponent, but that is not the case today. Skipper Lawrence Nesselrodt played for and graduated 🎓 from Davis and Elkins back in the day. Still remember the night of the Hall of Fame ceremony at the school !

Jeremy Puckett and his JV Cavaliers are ready to hit the pitch tonight, and Forrest Johnson will follow up with the Varsity Cavaliers.

Coach Puckett was practicing yesterday afternoon, and we were able to scoop up an on the fly photo 📸 of his energetic team !

Baseball ⚾️ x 2 has Adam Nester and his Nester Nine hitting the road for a game up at Northside (Roanoke). On the flip side, the Burcham Bunch will look to defend The Hill at Bill Worrell Field!

The poster is still in the proofing stage now, but once again, I am thankful for the opportunity to work with people like Craig Worrell, Velvet Leonard, and the mega talented, Ron Cochran.

We should be wrapping up this project shortly ! Each member of the teams will receive a copy with some extras being created in hopes of getting the word out about those involved !!

Travis Osborne should be sleeping right now, but when he wakes ⏰️ up, he will send in his Bible Verse of the Day, and it will appear here shortly.

Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

Howard Mayo and his Motovational Nugget for the Day :

Here in a bit, we will load up the car 🚗 and head back to Durham for Lin’s next appointment at the Duke University Medical Center. Sometimes, making the drive is for a fun reason, like supporting the Women’s Basketball team or the football team, but today isn’t one of those fun days. It’s a Blessed Day because if you find yourself in need of next level Medical treatment, it’s comforting to receive it from some of the top Doctors in the World 🌎.

The reason for mentioning it is because any coverage we can provide today will have to be assisted by someone who shares the same vision as Beth Bouldin and myself – it’s a BEAUTIFUL day to be a Cavalier !

Have a Blessed Day 🙌!

Don’t worry fellas, the Women of the Atlantic Coast Conference have your back !!! The Men may only have Duke in the Sweet 16, but our Ladies like to Dance 💃!!

Five ACC teams captured two victories to advance with both Virginia and Notre Dame doing it in hostile environments.

NC State and Syracuse both earned a W before running into a buzz saw.

Clemson and Virginia Tech both made it but fell in the opening round.

Sunday, March 22nd, has arrived and it will include Travel Volleyball 🏐 and Women’s College Basketball 🏀 doubleheader here in The Triangle 🔺️

All 3 Triangle teams are set to play for a spot in the Women’s Sweet 16 today.

Two games in person and the third one on the phone should make for a fun afternoon. Then it’s back to Laurel Fork ahead of a busy week of calling games. Maryland and North Carolina kick it off at High Noon.

Gatlinburg continues to be a home away from home 🏡 for our travel volleyball teams, and that is the case again this weekend.

Travis Osborne and his Bible Verse of the Day :

Psalm 124:8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Have yourself a Blessed Day 🙌!

Let the Madness of March begin for Women’s College Basketball 🏀. First here at Cameron Indoor and then off to Carmichael for Travis Osborne

Two pieces of business up front before we take in four of the 16 Women’s games today.

#1 – Yes, I will switch over to a powder blue shirt 👕 for the two games over at UNC. I gotta return the level of respect 🙏 that Travis Osborne showed when he used our tickets 🎟 to attend the UNC at Duke University last month.

#2 – While we want Kira Lawson and our Lady Blue Devils to defeat the Cougars of the College of Charleston, our youngest of three Sons attended the School 🏫 down on The Battery back in the day! No cheering for a wipe out here in the first of four.

Let’s watch some Women’s College Basketball 🏀 !!!!!!

Media TO at 4:54 – Duke 11, C of C 10

End of 1st, Duke 25 – 16

Cougar Sisters have 14 of the 16.

TO – 4:52 – (2), Duke 38 – 18 (27-8 run 🏃‍♀️)

Heading into the break, Duke 45 – 26

Congratulations to the older Lady Cavaliers on their play-in victory last night 🌙!

The end of the 3rd quarter and Duke is racking up fouls. Still leading by 20+, 66-41. 1:03 pm

Live look-in at TCU vversus UC – San Diego. Horn Frogs 🐸 are rolling…

Last Media TO at 4:55, Duke 77 – 55

Sister, Sister has dropped 42 for the Cougars (31,11).

TO at 2:01 – Duke, 79 – 60.. Taryn has 36 now for C of C

Final Score, 1 of 4 is :

Duke 81, C of C 64 at 1:33 pm…

For Duke, one down and five to go !

Durham x 2, Sacramento x 2, Phoenix x 2

2 : 06 – Start of Game 2/4

#11 Nebraska versus #6 Baylor University

Big 10 versus Big 12 in this one.

Nebraska has one advantage in that the played once already inside Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Cornhuskers defeated Richmond two days ago in their play-in game. Already familiar with the building….

Baylor scored the first 7, but now it’s 9-8 as Nebraska has trimmed it to one.

Baylor University was our first opponent back in November over in Paris, France 🇫🇷. It was the start of our 3-6 stretch.

End of 1st quarter – Bears 🐻, 19-11 (2:29)

Media TO at 4:39 (2), Baylor 23 – 18

At the Half…. Nebraska leads 28 – 27 (2:56)

Nebraska 17 – 8 in the second….

Game #3 of 4 just tipped off, 11 miles away !

We had no answer for Taliah Scott back then. She has four at the break here today versus Nebraska

Media TO at 4:56, Nebraska 37 – 35! Good game….

Maryland 28 – 19 after 1st quarter in Chapel Hill.

End of the 3rd quarter here in Cameron and Big Red leads 47 – 41. Biggest lead was seven, now at 6.

Media TO at 4:04, Nebraska lead down to 53 – 52. The biggest was 50 – 41, but BU on an 11-3 run.

Up in Phili, it appears that UVA Men will hold off Wright State. 82 – 73 final for the Hoos.

Maryland 51, Murray State 35 (Half)

Back 2 Back whistles could decide this one , which would be a shame after two teams fought this hard.

Baylor TO at 0:57, they have 3 point lead and possession… 62 – 59

Baylor is set to close it out and advance, they lead 64 – 61 with 0:17.9 left. 23 – 11 run here in the fourth quarter.

Maryland 99, Murray State 67 – Final

In of the first quarter, Tar Heels 16, Western Illinois 10 (6:04)

At the Half – Tar Heels 38, Leathernecks 24 (6:34)

Heels 👠 leading 53 – 27 at Media TO (4:34) after 15 – 3 run.

58 – 33 after 3rd…. both games here very one-sided.

4 games on 2 beautiful campuses = worn out !