#3 Egregiously Omitted Summer Story: BU keeps it close with Kansas

Usually I fail to write about the last game of the season because I’m depressed about the loss, but this year was different. There was nothing depressing about the Terriers’ 78-59 loss to #1 Kansas, and in fact I came away from watching the game and I was beaming, exhilarated, and proud to be a Terrier.

I couldn’t go to Tulsa to be at the game (and yes I seriously contemplated taking 3 days off from work to drive all the way out there and back… mapped a route and everything), so I planned an alumni watch at DC’s Old Dominion Brew Pub. Awesome turnout – Terriers came out of the woodwork and filled the room I reserved. I put up a renegade Boston University banner on the wall of the bar.

I was so nervous that we were into the third 3-foot tall beer tower by the time the game started.

The Morris twins were clearly a force of nature, and over time eroded the BU defense like waves crashing down on a beach. The inevitable happened with about 10 minutes left in the game, when we could no longer hold them at bay and we could no longer keep up on our offensive end. But the 30 minutes that preceded that were pure joy.

Far from being intimidated by the Jayhawks and getting blown out from the opening tip, we stayed within a couple points the entire first half, and even led at a few different points (!) – Holland made some sick shots and DJ was racing up and down the court faster than any KU guards.

Down 4 points at halftime, my phone was blowing up with long-lost friends… “can u believe this??” … “shock da world!” ... “gooooooo Terriers!!”. People told me that John Holland was trending on twitter.

Yes, we ended up losing. But we went to the Big Dance, and we looked good. DJ and JH showed their skillz to a national audience. And Terriers around the country walked out of bars like Old Dominion knowing our boys gave it their best shot… and that we’d be back before too long.

#16 over #1: Why Can't it Happen?

(photo courtesy BU Athletics)

This is the end - it all culminates today against the University of Kansas (yet they use the initials KU... wtf?). There will be no more games for BU after today.

At least, that's what we're told. The 16 seeds are 0-105 all time against the 1 seeds. All the articles about Kansas are talking about their path to the Final Four now that Louisville and Vanderbilt have been knocked off. And why shouldn't they? The first game for the 1 seeds are barely worth playing.

However, they do they play them. This is where the all the usual phrases come in, like the game isn't played on paper. Steve Buckley wrote a nice piece for the Boston Herald today on this very same subject - read it.

I'm proud to report that I'm one of the 0.9% of people who picked BU to beat Kansas in my bracket (which was the highest percentage out of all the 16 seeds, by the way). Do I really think they'll win? No, I don't.

But, a #16 has to defeat a #1 someday, right? Why couldn't it be our Terriers? It's a game - both teams play by the same set of rules. Anything can happen. If Darryl has one of his random games where he goes off for 30, and John can't miss and gets to the line, and Griff hits all his threes, and Pat Hazel doesnt get into foul trouble... who knows.

Unlikely but I'll be cheering like hell for Johnny H and the Terriers to pull off the impossible just the same. And America will be right there behind us.

Jayhawk Squawks Back

For this big occasion, I thought we'd reach out to see if any Jayhawk fans can clear a few things up for us in advance of the main event. We can all learn a thing or two from people who are from so far out in the middle of nowhere that there is absolutely nothing to do but concentrate on their basketball team.

Lifelong KU fan JayhawkLex, who "literally bleeeeeeeeeds crimson and blue," was nice enough to answer the call with some friendly trash talk.

BU Hoops Blog: You grew up in Lawrence and went to KU, obviously a huge Jayhawk fan. What are the coolest traditions about Kansas basketball?

JayhawkLex:
Our first coach literally invented the game.
Our opening video montage stars with Wilt Chamberlain.
Phog Allen's coaching pedigree -- Adolph Rupp, Dean Smith, and others.
The Rock Chalk Chant.
Allen Fieldhouse is literally a basketball mecca. And it gets loud as hell.
Pre-game foot fire exercise and floor dives during warm-ups
Shaking newspapers while opponents are announced and tearing them up into confetti when our players are announced.
Seniors start on senior night.
Mastering the claps to 'I'm a Jayhawk.'
The singing of -- and swaying to -- our alma mater song. Gives me goosebumps.
'Waving the wheat.'
Hating Mizzou (it literally dates back to violent raids during the Civil War).
The full and complete unity of Jayhawk Nation. We are EVERYWHERE, and we support our team members like they're family. Thomas Robinson: case-in-point.

...need more?

BU Hoops Blog: Rock Chalk Jayhawk... explain this string of seemingly nonsensical words.

JayhawkLex:
Traditional intimidation tactic :) And it rhymes.

But, in all seriousness, it actually came from a science professor in the late 1800s who wanted a chant to fire up his students. 'Rock chalk' comes from the deposits of chalk rock limestone in both western Kansas and on KU's campus (my dad is a geologist -- I know these words). The Jayhawk is a mythical beast, likewise rooted in history. (Jayhawkers were the Kansas abolitionists who fought to have Kansas entered as a free state.)

Now ask me why we hate Missouri so much :)

BU Hoops Blog: Kansas has a history of choking against BU's in the tournament (Bucknell, Bradley)... nervous?

JayhawkLex:
Nope. When was the last time a 1-seed lost to a 16-seed?

BU Hoops Blog: Predictions for the game --

JayhawkLex:

Will Kansas get to 20 before BU gets to 10?
Barely.
How close will the game be at halftime?
I'll bet you're down by 10 at half.
Who will win and by how much?
Kansas by 22.
How awesome would be if BU pulled off the shocking upset?
...do y'all even have a mascot?


Last words: Shout-out to @fakejoedooley.

Was Dorothy's Toto a Boston Terrier?

We found out last Sunday night that we'd be going to Tulsa to play against the Kansas University Jayhawks. I don't know why the guys were all cheering - the Terriers got robbed with this matchup!

I suppose we're lucky that we aren't in one of the play-in games. But Kansas is definitely one of the top 2 seeds overall - they should be playing the winner of a play-in. BU was clearly the best of the 16 seeds (if not better than one of the 15 seeds), so we should have gotten the worst of the 1 seeds - that would be Pitt in Washington, DC. In essence, Kansas got screwed too because they should not have gotten the best of the 16 seeds. Of course it won't matter for Kansas because they'll steamroll whoever.

For the record, Bill Self agrees with me:

“I was surprised they were on the 16 line to be honest,” Self said. “When I was in my mind going through the bracket, I didn’t have them as one of the teams on the 16 line.”

What do we know about Kansas? I'm sure some hayseed from Kansas will come on here and tell us all about them (and how much we suck, etc). But for the time being, we just need to know about their twin towers, Marcus and Markieff Morris. Pretty unstoppable.

But little do they know, we have a secret weapon: the long-lost third twin Dom Morris! Though only a freshman, and only averaging 5.6 points per game, and like 4 inches shorter, he just needs to reach within himself for that Morris DNA - no problem.

That ESPY for "Biggest Upset" is 3 long years in the past: The Bucknell Preview

The mid-major world fell in love with the Bucknell University Bison in 2005 when it knocked off NCAA Tournament favorite Kansas in the Big Dance. They became renowned giant-killers, and backed that up with a few big wins against huge programs over next couple years. (And that ESPY they won was against some familiar competition).

Make no mistake: this is not the same Bucknell team, and the difference is nobody is afraid to play this year's version.

Bucknell was picked to finish 5th in the 8-team Patriot League... and that was before their preseason 2nd teamer and best player Stephen Tyree went down with a season-ending knee injury during a pick-up game (idiot). They still don't know who is going to pick up the scoring slack. And Tyree is a big forward who was the PL Defender of the Year, so right off the bat that helps us immensely because...

Scott Brittain is going to be missing from the lineup again - he's not even going to make the trip. And I can't blame him... a flight to Philly, followed by a 2 or 3 hour bus ride in the middle of nowhere. In the meantime, Scott, we need to get you better. According to the Encyclopedia of Natural Healing:

To speed healing and increase oxygen to the brain, and to prevent further damage after a concussion, supplement with antioxidants. Vitamins A, C, E and all the B vitamins, as well as the minerals selenium and zinc, are antioxidants. In addition to stimulating the healing process, vitamin C also enhances the *immune system, reduces *blood pressure and protects against *bruising and blood clotting. Vitamin C should be taken with bioflavonoids to improve its effects. Vitamin E works to repair damaged tissue. When vitamins C and E work together, they have a greater effect than when they are taken separately.

Also:

Arnica is an excellent homeopathic remedy for a concussion resulting from a blow to the head, reducing *pain and speeding healing. Use the 30c strength, placing 2 tablets under the tongue. Repeat for two more doses, every fifteen minutes for a severe injury, or an hour apart if less severe.

So yeah, BU Sports Medicine... get on that.

As far as the guys who are still on the court for us, I'm optimistic. Johnny Holland seems to have picked up right where he left off. The freshmen, Jake O'Brien and Jeff Pelage, are picking up rave reviews from the most unlikely of sources. Carlos Strong is doing some real good things. And, most importantly, Corey Lowe and Tyler Morris can't possibly shoot as badly as they did on Friday night.

Three days ago, Bucknell got destroyed by Maryland by 29 points. Three years ago, in the only prior meeting between the BU's, we lost by 6 and Corey Hassan was our leading scorer. Tonight, I'm looking for something right in between...

My prediction for the game: BU 70 Bucknell 57