March Madness

March Madness is way living up to its hype this year - and I am not talking about the men's tournament. 

Watched Baylor Bears get into the Final Four last night, beating the Lady Vols from Tennessee by almost 20 points.  Although the point disparity says boring, it was anything but.  Here's why:

- Britney Griner.  The junior from Houston is the best women's college hoops player today with potential to be the best overall.  She is a triple threat: she plays with skill and smarts and heart.  Griner was one of three Baylor players who cleared the bench with LESS than a minute to play because one of their own was under attack.  It was intense with a capital I. 

- Passion and emotion.  The above-mentioned incident happened  because one Lady Vol fought with everything she had to deny another point by Odyssey Sims, the sophomore from Irving MacArthur.  Sims already had scored 27 points and you can't blame the Vol for thinking enough is enough.  But the Tennessee player was overly aggressive in her defense of the goal, which didn't sit well with Sims and her teammates. As both players were being separated, that's when the three Baylor players, Griner included, thought it was a good idea to help.     

- Sportsmanship.  End of the game, Baylor Coach Kim Mulkey stood a moment with the offending Lady Vol player.  You could tell she was giving her encouragement of some kind.  Coach Mulkey explained to a reporter that she understood the player's intensity, after all, as a senior it was her final game. She said her players deserved to be evicted because they knew better than to leave the bench.  Coach Mulkey also asked the reporter to put cameras on the players from both teams who, it turns out, were standing together, arms linked.  No longer adversaries as they stood in solemn respect for the game and for the Tennessee coach.  Coach Mulkey said she asked the Tennessee player to "take care of coach."

- Pat Summitt, coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols.  She recently made public that she has been diagnosed with early Alzheimer's.  Last night's game was possibly her final courtside view.  Coach Summitt is the winningest NCAA basektball coach of all time, in all divisions, men's and women's teams.  She has been given every accolade, trophy, and award so far invented for the sport of basketball.  She took the helm at Tennessee in 1974, before Title 9.   People stood last night as Coach Summitt walked off the court.  I imagine people watching at home, too, were standing.  And crying.

There are three more games to be played before the championship game, which is Tuesday in Denver.  Unless you have a gazillion dollars, you will likely be watching it from your living room as I will be.  Tickets are sold out. 

http://www.ncaa.com/sports/basketball-women/d1