The copy machines will be working overtime this week as all the NCAA brackets are thoughtfully filled out.
March Madness is a fitting title for the annual college basketball tournament. The first week is always filled with emotions from “the thrill of victory to the agony of defeat,” to quote the famous former ABC television show Wide World of Sports announcer Jim McKay.
The tournament gets into full swing this week. The Final Four is set for March 31 and April 2 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Last year’s champion North Carolina is back seeking its seventh title. The Tar Heels have played in the past two title games and will be trying to repeat for the first time since Florida's repeat in 2006 and 2007. Virginia, Kansas, Villanova and Xavier are the top four seeds.The Southeastern Conference has eight schools in the tournament as Kentucky, Tennessee, Auburn, Florida, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas A&M, Auburn and Alabama made the dance. The Atlantic Coastal Conference leads the conference selections with nine teams.
"CATS, 'CATS, "CATS
Kentucky won another men's SEC basketball title this past weekend over Tennessee. It was the Wildcats’ fourth straight title and 31st overall. MSU went 1-1 in the tournament but did receive an NIT bid. The Bulldogs will host Nebraska on Wednesday of this week. Ole Miss bowed out of the SEC tournament after a one-point loss to South Carolina. The Rebels' season was the worst in Oxford since 1992.
DAVIS TO OLE MISS?
Ole Miss should be naming a men's head basketball coach soon, and many believe that Leakesville native Kermit Davis Jr. will be the replacement for Andy Kennedy. Davis is presently coaching at Middle Tennessee where he has led the Blue Raiders for the past 16 seasons. This year’s team did not make the NCAA as they were upset by Southern Mississippi in the C-USA tournament last week in Frisco, Texas.
Davis led Middle Tennessee to the last two NCAA tournaments as they upset Michigan State and Minnesota in March Madness. They were 15th seed in 2016 when they shocked Michigan State. He has won 468 games in 22 seasons as head coach. He has coached for former USM head coach Larry Eustachy and former LSU coach John Brady. Davis's resume also includes a 4-1 record against Ole Miss. This past December Middle Tennessee beat Ole Miss, 77-58.
LADY BULLDOGS
The Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs had a similar plan for each of their 32 wins this season. They made shots and played with consistency on both ends of the basketball court. In their SEC Championship Tournament loss to South Carolina, they simply did not make shots, and when that happens, you usually lose. The Lady Bulldogs still have a game plan, and that is to play in the national championship game for the second straight year. The Lady Bulldogs have two All-Americans in senior guard Victoria Vivians and junior center Teaira McCowan as the two average over 40 points per game.
DIAMOND TALK
Baseball heats up this weekend as Ole Miss (15-1) hosts Tennessee and MSU (10-6) entertains Vanderbilt. USM (11-4) will host UTSA this weekend at the “Pete.” Delta State, Mississippi College and William Carey baseball keep rolling along as well.
Dale McKee is a sports columnist and has covered Mississippi sports for more than 40 years. He can be contacted at
ddmckee18@yahoo.com
