LaGRANGE, Ga. — That’s what it feels like, anyway in Mariotti Gymnasium here at LaGrange. It is a building high on character but low on amenities.

I can’t get on the Net here yet so you’ll have to wait for a photo but picture Hoosiers-type seating for maybe 600 people. No word if Hampden-Sydney coach Bubba Smith took out a tape measure and compared it to their gym back in Farmville.

LaGrange SID John Hughes tells me the building opened in 1958. The other athletic facilities are about a half-mile from here and are a lot more modern.

A lot of HSC fans here, probably many connected to Drew Prehmus and Tyler Murray, Tiger seniors from Atlanta.

You can listen on HSC’s radio broadcast from their Web site. If I weren’t typing on my phone I’d say more.

Edit: I’ve added today’s interview, with LaGrange men’s coach Warren Haynes.

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It’s been a tough season so far for the Huntingdon men’s basketball team. The Hawks are 2-10 under first-year coach Mike Pugh, working with a new offensive philosophy and a fair amount of new players.

For Pugh, it’s his first season as a Division III coach after years in the high school and junior college ranks.

Pat Coleman spoke with Pugh about the transition for his team and for himself. What did Pugh think about Division III basketball as a high school coach in Alabama, and what is his take now? Listen on.

And Happy New Year! Our long-awaited redesign is still on the back burner, but I decided we really needed to have the new logos up there. It’s long past time.

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Day 3, third gym and games 7 and 8. I’d heard bad things about Huntingdon’s gym but those things are oudated — the place was renovated this summer and has a much more updated look. It’s a 1950s era building that may not have been updated previously.

Picture below:

New floor, chairbacks, standalone baskets, etc.

We start with a neutral site game between Sewanee and the University of Dallas. As is often the case, Huntingdon SID Tim Lutz was the last to know this game was taking place in his gym. Even I knew beforehand, apparently.

I knew something was up today when I pulled into the parking lot at Oglethorpe and saw Bowdoin coach Stefanie Pemper stepping out of a vehicle with Maine plates.

Maine is a long way from here. Dave McHugh would counter that Maine is a long way from just about anywhere, but I wouldn’t drive to Maine from D.C., let alone Atlanta.

Turns out that the flight the Bowdoin women’s basketball team was scheduled to be on this week to Atlanta was canceled. Since the next flight they could’ve gotten to here wasn’t until Monday, they hopped in school vans and drove. Twenty hours. Rolled in about 7 p.m. and played Wilmington at 10 last night.

There’s a kicker to this story, too — Bowdoin will be making its regular flight out of Atlanta on Monday but of course, there’s that sticky issue of the school vans they drove down here. So while the players will be flying to Maine, the coaches will be driving 20 hours back home.

Bowdoin off to a 14-5 lead in the early going. Going to head down and take some photos.

I also have interviews from last night to post. Had a real interesting conversation with Piedmont coach Lee Glenn about the state of D-III basketball in the Deep South and I will spotlight that at a separate time.

Meanwhile, I know we have other things going on today, especially that game between No. 1 Mary Washington and No. 5 UW-Whitewater.

Updated
I had a chance to talk with Oglethorpe coach Ron Sattele about topics ranging from his team’s incredible junior class, surprise 2006 tournament run and his desire to avoid the interstate at all costs. I also spoke with Wilmington coach Jerry Scheve, our first real chance to catch up with Wilmington after the 2004 national title. I asked how it affected the program and you might be surprised by the answer.

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Been a great day so far. Any time you can go without a jacket at the end of December you have to be pretty happy, right? It’s certainly a better trip weatherwise than the one I took this weekend last year.

Played a little bit of tourist this afternoon before heading up here to Demorest, Ga., with evidence below.

Game just underway. Going to go take some pictures. Chatted with Maryville (Tenn.) coach Randy Lambert briefly before this game (Maryville/Averett) — haven’t seen him since his turn on the men’s basketball national committee ended. We’ll have more later. Not a big crowd here but definitely pro-Maryville.

Also got to see Piedmont’s excellent baseball stadium.

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