apaladin wrote: ↑Fri Mar 22, 2019 12:19 am
I'm not sure it is that good for the SoCon except of course for the extra money. Did Davidson's run a few years ago do anything for the SoCon? As for the tourney today has been pretty mundane. Only a couple of close games and no upsets. I guess Murray State was an upset according to the biased NCAA but I think most people were expecting them to win.
This article is from the Post and Courier. The comments from Calipari about the SoCon show how far the conference has progressed.
http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ ... 0313010446
Calipari: ‘I know how good Wofford is’
BY JEFF HARTSELL
jhar
tsell@postandcourier.com
Picture
STEPHEN B. MORTON/AP
Wofford guard Fletcher Magee and the No. 7 seed Terriers face No. 2 seed Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
In the minutes after the game, Fletcher Magee talked on ESPN with Scott Van Pelt, then did a hit with national broadcaster Andy Katz. On Friday morning, he chatted up Dan Patrick on nationwide radio, while Wofford coach Mike Young did the same with Jim Rome.
Googlesearchesfor“Wofford”spiked on Friday night, after the Terriers won their first NCAA Tournament game in five trips to the Big Dance with an 84-63 victory over Seton Hall in Jacksonville, Fla. And at the same time, “Wofford” and “Fletcher Magee” were the top two trending topics on Twitter.
It seems the tiny school of 1,600 students in Spartanburg — better known as the hometown of Zion Williamson — has finally made the big time.
“Our name recognition has gotten better and better,” said Young, whose No. 7-seeded Terriers (30-4) will take on No. 2 seed Kentucky (28-6) at 2:40 p.m. Saturday (WCSC/ CBS) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. “And this experience will help even more.”
And yet, as late as Friday, Young found himself correcting someone’s enunciation of Wofford.
“If I hear one more ‘Woe-ford,’ I’m coming after you,” Young joked at his afternoon news conference. “It’s pronounced ‘Waff-ord’. We’re making great progress, but there’s work to be done.”
One observer who’s learned a lot about Wofford since Friday night is Kentucky coach John Calipari, whose team lost earlier this season to Seton Hall, the team the Terriers closed out on Friday night with a 17-0 run. “I know how good Wofford is, and their league, and the top four teams in their league,” said Calipari, referring to the Southern Conference and contenders UNC Greensboro, Furman and East Tennessee State. “And I hate to tell you, but they all four should have been in the NCAA Tournament.
“For Wofford to come from outside the Power 5 and be a seven seed, that’s a big deal,” Calipari said. “A big, big deal.” But Calipari might have to convince his players.
On Friday, Kentucky’s 6-11 Nick Richards provided the Terriers with some bulletin board material when asked if the Wildcats’ size advantage will help against Wofford, whose tallest starters are 6-9 Keve Aluma and 6-8 Cam Jackson. Matthew Pegram, a 6-11 senior from Wando High School, comes off the bench. “It’s a good advantage for us,” said Richards, who is joined on Kentucky’s frontline by 6-8 Reid Travis and 6-10 EJ Montgomery. “They are not even as athletic as all three of us.
“Their bigs are skilled around the basket and know how to move on the floor. But we’re just better than they are. The advantage is our way, in my opinion.” Calipari was not happy with that quote.
“What are you doing, Nick?” he said. “But that’s OK, because if you speak, you better back it up. I love his confidence, and now I want to see him do it on the court.”
Jackson, who had 14 points, 10 rebounds and five assists while battling Seton Hall’s bigs, dismissed the dis.
“We just take care of what we can take care of,” he said. “It’s not about proving them wrong, it’s about doing what we are comfortable doing and impacting the game any way we can.”
Reach Jeff Hartsell at
843-937-5596. Follow him on Twitter @Jeff_fromthePC.
NCAA Tournament
WHO: No. 7 seed Wofford (30-4) vs. No. 2 Kentucky (28-6) WHEN: 2:40 p.m. WHERE: Midwest Regional, Jacksonville TV: WCSC (CBS) LINE: Kentucky by 5½