Immediate thoughts on Salem semis

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Alright, well, our bloggers (and scoreboard operators) fell down on the job on this one so I’ll try to pick up the pieces.

I’ve never seen a team shoot 60% and lose. And let’s be honest, Illinois Wesleyan played well. While some of my colleagues were predicting a blowout, I was more or less on the record as predicting IWU 81, VWC 68. I thought it would be a ballgame. Not for all 40 minutes, but a ballgame. My last words on Hoopsville were a reminder of a previous year in which two underdog “eastern” teams were taking on two favored “western” teams. For the uninitiated, the eastern regions are the Northeast, East, Mid-Atlantic and Atlantic; the western regions are the South, Great Lakes, Midwest and South. And to be honest, the three “power” regions don’t really want to have the South lumped with them. But tonight was the champion of a weak-sister region (sorry, folks, last title was 1975!) knocking off a power region and a power conference.

For the curious, my thought on the other game was Wittenberg 58, Amherst 54.

Wittenberg weathered the storm, as Amherst hit its first seven three-pointers of the second half but couldn’t hold off the Tigers, who rallied to win 64-60. At 4 a.m., not sure I can remember anything about the game that doesn’t involve Borchers and Russ. I’m sure I’ll be seeing them in my sleep tonight, if I ever get any.

And remember, the poll held true. No. 3 Wittenberg def. No. 4 Amherst and No. 7 Virginia Wesleyan beat No. 11 Illinois Wesleyan.

They say it’s your birthplace…

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Welcome from Blake Arena in Springfield, Mass.

I figured I’d start today’s thread a little early since a) I’m here after a 6.5 drive from Philadelphia and b) it makes me look official so the players and coaches aren’t suspicious (shh!).

A few tourists entered the Arena in front of me looking for the original Basketball Hall of Fame. They won’t have to look far since it shares the same facility. As you probably know if you’re on this site, Springfield is the birthplace of basketball. Dr. James Naismith introduced the game in a YMCA gymnasium based here in Springfield. Incidentally Dr. James Naismith wasn’t a Springfield native, or even a native born American for that matter. He was born in Ontario, Canada. Viva Steve Nash, eh.

I chatted briefly with NCAA Assistant Director of Championships Donnie Wagner who said last night’s banquet at the modern Hall of Fame was a hit. Four of the five 25th Anniversary honorees were able to attend and the final one — Laurie Trow Kelly whose Northern Arizona Lumberjacks open the Division I tournament tomorrow against Baylor — sent a nice videotaped message.

At the moment Scranton is on the floor practicing, filling the vacancy left by Hope. Coach Morehouse instructed his Flying Dutch to pack up and leave quickly, minutes before the Lady Royals took the floor. There was an awkward moment as one team left and their opponent-to-be entered. Sort of like when you forget somone’s birthday and then see them the next day.

We’ll keep you posted as time allows with pregame beginning at 3 PM.

Courtside in Salem

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Well, the first three members of the five-person D3hoops.com contingent in Salem have arrived and our people are up in Springfield today as well.

First note of the day: ESPN’s producer tells me that the Outside the Lines piece that ran last night may run, it its entirety, on tonight’s 6 p.m. SportsCenter. (This is obviously barring some sort of breaking news.) That would be huge.

I checked in at the Jostens Trophy ceremony elsewhere in the Salem Civic Center and they are doing lunch, so I stopped down at the first practice. Wittenberg is on the floor right now.