KELLOGG THINKS MCNEESE WILL BE 'TROUBLE'
CBS continues to take a hard-hitting, tell-it-like-it-is look at
March Madness … NOT. CLARK KELLOGG … you don’t
expect much. He’s the original NEVER IS HEARD A
DISCOURAGING WORD talking head … who will always
have a job because … he’s sooo nice. But SETH DAVIS …
you expect more … The subject, on Saturday’s pregame show
was automatic bids … and good, old Clark noted McNeese St.,
champion of the Southland Conference, would not be a
pushover. “Whoever they face is going to be in trouble,” he said
… to which Davis responded: “WILL WADE’s back in the
tournament … with everything he’s been through.” … That was
it. Poor Will? Nothing more … like Wade isn’t the same coach
who was caught cheating at LSU after spending three years at
Virginia Commonwealth, where he wasn’t … but did (as
successor MIKE RHOADES quickly found out) … VCU fans
should remember Wade responding to rumors he was leaving
by telling his players he wasn’t going anywhere … then, a few
hours later, flew to Baton Rouge and never returned … not
even this season, when McNeese came to the Siegel Center
without Wade … sitting out a suspension by the NCAA … In
the season opener for both teams, McNeese won 76-65 when
the Rams relied too much on outside shooting, missing 25 of 36
treys … Off to a rocky start, they came about … and will play
for the A-10 title – and a trip to the national tournament –
Sunday (March 17). Who would have believed it?
Six teams from the mighty Mountain West Conference are
expected to be included in the NCAA field announced Sunday
… including regular-season champion Utah State … which lost
coach RYAN ODOM to VCU and welcomed replacement
DANNY SPRINKLE April 7, 2023 to a program without a
player who started a game … “What this group accomplished is
remarkable,” said Sprinkle in a piece on CBS. “This team has a
little bit of an edge I didn’t know they had.”… Davis: “I don’t
think I’ve ever heard of a team starting from scratch and doing
what they did.” … Not one mention of Odom, who also was
part of South Florida’s search for new coach … before
accepting VCU’s $1.8 million a year (more than doubling his
salary of $800,000 per at State … State was preseason choice to
finish ninth in the 11-team Mountain West. Sounds like the
University of Richmond, doesn’t it? The Spiders were regular-
season champs of the Atlantic 10 after an 11th place prediction
… but no one expects them to make the NCAA field after being
eliminated in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament …
Because? The A-10, top to bottom, has never been weaker. The
Mountain West, we’re told, has never been stronger … which
accounts for Utah State likely to be invited despite losing by 16
points to San Diego State in the MWC tournament semifinals.
Until next time ...
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