Last summer Pat Summitt revealed that she is suffering from the early onset of Alzheimer’s and would not be coaching much longer. Despite the diagnosis, she coached the Lady Vols into yet another NCAA tournament this season, concluding with a spot in the Elite Eight – again. But success aside, it was clear to most observers, including Summitt herself, that another year of coaching would have required a miracle that only the Lord could provide. Which is why on Wednesday she announced her retirement.
Share on FacebookArchive for the ‘College Basketball’ Category
Appreciating Pat Summitt: One of Sports’ Greatest Coaches Steps Down
Posted: 19th April 2012 by DavidBurnett in Coaches, College Basketball, Women's basketballTags: Alzheimer's, basketball, college basketball, Lady Vols, Pat Summitt, Pat Summitt retires, Univesity of Tennessee, women's basketball
0
From Heartbreaking to Horrendous: Butler’s Dream Becomes a Nightmare
Posted: 5th April 2011 by DavidBurnett in College Basketball, Final Four, NCAA, NCAA TournamentTags: Butler Bulldogs, championship game, Final Four, heartbreaking, horrendous, Kemba Walker, Matt Howard, Shelvin Mack, UConn, University of Connecticut
Most of the credit for Butler’s nightmare should be accorded to the UConn Huskies. UConn’s taller, more athletic players intimidated Butler right from the very start, even though the Huskies shot only 34 percent from the field themselves. They completely shut down Butler’s two stars, Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack.
Share on Facebook2011 Final Four: Opportunity Knocks
Posted: 28th March 2011 by DavidBurnett in College Basketball, Final Four, NCAA TournamentTags: Butler, fair, Final Four, Kentucky, opportunity, UConn, VCU
Hollywood writers couldn’t script a better ending to the college basketball season. The 2011 Final Four in Houston guarantees there will be another David versus Goliath match-up in the championship game. Hopefully we are witnessing a changing of the guard in college basketball, opening up the NCAA tournament to a wider range of schools. This years tournament proves that all any team really needs is a chance.
Share on FacebookThe Butler Way: Time to Believe
Posted: 25th March 2011 by DavidBurnett in Basketball, College Basketball, NCAA TournamentTags: Brad Stevens, Butler, Cinderella, Elite Eight, The Butler Way, Wisconsin
The Butler Way starts with players who actually believe in TEAM. No one player is bigger or better than the whole. The Butler Way is also about defense, swarming, suffocating, in-your-face, annoying defense. Butler held Big Ten powerhouse Wisconsin to just 27 points for the first 30 minutes of the game. Butler defenses the passing lanes better than any team in the nation. They also lead in floor burns.
Share on FacebookWere the Fab Five Authentically Black?
Posted: 19th March 2011 by DavidBurnett in Basketball, College Basketball, NCAA Tournament, Race, RacismTags: authentically black, documentary, Duke University, ESPN, Fab Five, Grant Hill, Jalen Rose, University of Michigan
I have some questions, you might too. What does it mean to be an African American today? And just who is authentically black? And do Uncle Toms still exist? Are you a racial sell-out if you happen to come from an affluent home instead of the inner city? Some of you might ask: Do we need to have this discussion? I think we do.
If ever there is a subject that needs re-airing, and re-evaluation in the black community it is this one. Jalen Rose gives voice to this in his recent ESPN documentary about what he and his famous “Fab Five” University of Michigan basketball teammates went through 20 years ago.
Share on FacebookUConn’s Ladies: A Different Game
Posted: 23rd December 2010 by DavidBurnett in Basketball, College Basketball, Female Athletes, Women's basketballTags: 89 straight, Geno Auriemma, Maya Moore, UConn, University of Connecticut
The University of Connecticut women steamrolled Florida State 93-62 on Tuesday night. They have now gone 89 straight games without losing.
The streak started 25 months ago against Georgia Tech. No college basketball team, men’s or women’s has ever won that many games in a row. We could say – “so what – they’re just girls.” And Connecticut is at or near the top every year anyway, what’s the big deal?
Butler Will Be Back But Not As Cinderella
Posted: 6th April 2010 by DavidBurnett in Basketball, College Basketball, Final Four, NCAA, NCAA TournamentTags: Butler, championship, Cinderella, Duke, Final Four, Gordon Hayward, Indianapolis
The game played out like the hollywood script it was meant to emulate. Monday Night’s dramatic championship game ended with Duke edging Butler 61-59. But that was only the score. It was not the full story. Duke’s 4th national championship was earned the hard way. Neither team ever led by more than six points. It was back and forth all night. Tight defense, missed shots. Clutch baskets. Mistakes. There was suspense throughout.
Share on FacebookButler Poised for Basketball Immortality
Posted: 4th April 2010 by DavidBurnett in College Basketball, Final Four, NCAA, NCAA TournamentTags: basketball immortality, Butler, Duke, Final Four, final game
Butler basketball is the equivalent of Boise State football. The two are extremely successful “mid-major” schools which have fought years for respect. The difference though is that unlike Boise State’s football team, on Monday night Butler gets a chance to prove its worthiness in the championship game. Even better, Butler gets to play it at home in Indianapolis.
Share on FacebookBrittney Griner Versus UConn
Posted: 1st April 2010 by DavidBurnett in College Basketball, Final FourTags: Baylor, Brittney Griner, Final Four, UConn
have at times been pretty critical of women’s basketball, particularly this year with the University of Connecticut’s mind-numbingly boring winning streak of 76 straight. But be assured, there is at least one UConn game that I am looking forward to watching.
I want to see how Baylor University’s Brittney Griner, matches up against the powerhouse Lady Huskies this Sunday night in the women’s Final Four.
Will the long-armed 6’8“ Griner be able to block the shots of UConn’s All-American tandem of Tina Charles and Maya Moore? Can she smackdown college basketball’s best women’s team, or will she be intimidated or frustrated?
Share on FacebookKentucky to Win It All
Posted: 17th March 2010 by DavidBurnett in Basketball, College Basketball, Final Four, NCAA TournamentTags: Butler, Final Four, Indianapolis, March Madness, NCAA, University of Kansas, University of Kentucky
Tourney time again. Have you made your picks? Not being a college basketball fanatic, it is hard for me to know much beyond what the polls and my weekly channel surfing tell me. On this March Madness there are two co-favorites to win the championship and they will face each other in the championship game. […]
Share on FacebookUConn’s Ladies Keep Winning: Who Cares?
Posted: 10th March 2010 by DavidBurnett in Basketball, College Basketball, Female AthletesTags: Big East, ladies basketball, Maya Moore, Tina Charles, UConn, University of Connecticut
The fact is – whether we say it out loud or not, basketball is better when it is flashy, acrobatic and above the rim. I don’t care what the so-called basketball purists say, because if they were really true to their alleged principles, then they’d embrace ladies basketball and all other forms of ground-based hoops. Most people, purists included, do not like to see guys or gals who can’t run or jump. They say they do, but the attendance figures and the ratings don’t back that up.
Share on FacebookHow Should We Judge Tyler Hansbrough?
Posted: 7th April 2009 by DavidBurnett in College Basketball, NBA, NCAA TournamentTags: NBA future, NCAA Tournament, Tyler Hansbrough, University of North Carolina
He just helped lead his team to a national championship. He is a four-time All-American. He was once the national college player of the year. But really, seriously, honestly, just how good is Tyler Hansbrough? Why is he yet another lightening rod for debate about an NBA future when we’ve barely had time to […]
Share on FacebookLawson Leads Tar Heels
Posted: 21st March 2009 by DavidBurnett in College Basketball, NCAA, NCAA TournamentTags: injured right big toe, LSU, March Madness, Sweet Sixteen, Tar Heels, Ty Lawson, Tyler Hansbrough, UNC
Ty Lawson was held out of the NCAA college basketball tournament’s first game on Thursday to rest his injured right big toe. There is no doubt had Lawson not played on Saturday, North Carolina would be watching the rest of March Madness on television. The final score an 84 – 70 victory over LSU does […]
Share on FacebookFrantic February
Posted: 22nd February 2009 by David Burnett in College Basketball, Frantic February, March Madness, NCAA TournamentTags: Cinderella, Final Four, Frantic February, March Madness, Sweet 16
Frantic February is the time of year when college basketball teams start making their closing arguments for selection to the NCAA Tournament. For sheer unpredictability, chaos, nail biting and whining there is nothing like the weeks leading up to March Madness. Every year it seems there is a surprising Cinderella. The unexpected team […]
Share on Facebook