UT holds on in hoops
Tennessee guard Scotty Hopson (32) is fouled by Alabama’s Senario Hillman, behind, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Southeastern Conference men’s tournament Friday, March 13, 2009, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)From the numbers that deceive category, today we offer the University of Tennessee men’s basketball final score. The Vols beat a scrappy Belmont team 85-76, a nine-point win that could appear somewhat safe.
Well, know this – the Vols scored the last eight points of the game to pad the cushion. Tight game down the stretch that had a lot of good news and some bad for the Vols.
First the good: Scotty Hopson looked comfortable and relaxed and played like the McDonald’s All-American everyone in Knoxville has been waiting to see. He had 18 points on 11 shots and added five boards. Plus, true freshman Tobias Harris was simply awesome, scoring 16 points and sharing the team lead with seven boards in 29 minutes.
Now the bad: These Vols will struggle if senior point guard Mevlin Goins plays like he did last night. Goins’ numbers – two points, four turnovers one assist in 18 minutes – simply must get better. That or his minutes will go to freshman Trae Golden, who had a team-best five assists in 21 minutes.
Beauty is in eye of the holder of Uggla
Florida Marlins’ Dan Uggla (6) enters the dugout after a home run against the Atlanta Braves during the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 4, 2010, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)Great trade for the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday. Absolutely outstanding, and yes, the pessimistic cloud that lives in the heart of every Braves fan is saying something like, “Omar Infante was a great utility player,” or “Mike Dunn could be a great set-up guy.”
If that’s your thinking, then just stop it. Seriously, stop now.
The Braves amazingly made it to the playoffs with very good to great starting pitching and a collection of misfit hitters around Brian McCann.
Think of what Uggla, a two-time all-star and last year’s Silver Slugger at second base after hitting .287 with 33 home runs, can do in the middle of the lineup. Plus – and maybe most importantly – He provides a right-handed power bat that the Braves lacked all of last season.
And as for Infante, who made his first career all-star team last year, well, the Braves were flush with flexible players who were good. Uggla provides a mainstay.
An inept offense last year, the Braves now have Uggla, McCann, Jason Heyward with a year under his belt and Martin Prado to build around. If Chipper Jones returns from injury in a timely and successful manner all the better.
Marlins ride Uggla to victory over Braves
UConn women impressive from any perspective
Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma talks to Lorin Dixon (30) and Kalana Greene (32) in the first half against Baylor in a semifinal in the Final Four of the NCAA women’s college basketball tournament Sunday, April 4, 2010, in San Antonio.(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)Yes, the 5 at 10 staff knows the general feeling around these parts for UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma – all together now, “BOOOOOOOOO.” We get it, he and Pat Summitt are in a feud and someone would be better off hiding Bruce Pearl’s body paint or trying to deny people’s God-given right to carry firearms into Sunday school than get on Summitt’s bad side around here.
But for just a moment let’s admire what Auriemma’s team has done. UConn rallied from a late eight-point hole to beat No. 2-ranked Baylor 65-64 for their 80th straight win Tuesday night. The streak started exactly two years ago.
Two years without a loss, that sounds a little like the Democratic Party (Thank you, I’ll be here all week.)
As the Cam turns, Part 1,203
Auburn’s Cameron Newton runs the ball. (AP Photo by Dave Martin)Nothing new to report on Auburn quarterback Cam Newton specifically. But several of the people that comprise the puzzle were in motion Tuesday.
John Bond, the former Mississippi State quarterback who was the first on-the-record voice that jumpstarted the allegations against Newton and his father Cecil in a pay-for-play scandal, spoke with the FBI on Tuesday. Kenny Rogers, the agent runner who alleges he spoke with Cecil Newton, is expecting to talk with the NCAA. And a new name – I know, that’s all this thing needs is another name or three and another couple of layers – has been added to the intrigue.
Jody Wright, a current assistant at Alabama who was an assistant athletic director overseeing football operations at Mississippi State during the Bulldogs recruitment of Cam Newton, was interviewed by the NCAA, the Tuscaloosa News reported.
Chizik: Newton allegations ‘pure garbage’
Chuck hitches wagon to March Madness
Color me giddy, Charles Barkley, the Round Mound of Renown, will be part of TNT’s coverage of the NCAA basketball tournament.
Barkley, the free-eating free spirit who has developed a huge, um, audience, yes, audience as TNT’s studio host, has become a refreshing change from analysts of the past. He is not as polished as some but he is real and honest and he does not have to scream to get his point across.
And he he has a great catch phrase – Turrr-able, as in terrible. When something is bad, Barkley will call it bad, and when it’s terrible, he’ll call it like he sees it.
Barkley coming to March Madness is anything by Turrr-able.