64 teams await the first jump ball at noon today and we feel the pressure to prognosticate a bit. allgame has not appeared since the lions ran the crimson off the boards at levien almost six weeks ago. that same underwhelming harvard team represents the ivies in the big dance. i expect little noise from the cantabs in the tourney but have some hopes for the pennsylvanian crew from bucknell. last year’s patriot league representative, the lehigh mountain hawks surprised pretty much everyone but themselves by dropping mighty duke in the first round. it should be much less shocking when bucknell beats two better known mid majors on their way to d.c. for the sweet sixteen.
the bisons are led, as our attentive readers know, by 6′ 10″ mike muscala who scores 19 ppg while grabbing about 12 boards. the long, tough center is quick on the blocks where he does most of his damage. he moves his feet on defense too, so scoring down low against bucknell won’t be easy. big mike is complemented in the regular rotation by seven teammates, the three most important of whom are cam ayers (12.5 ppg and 4 rebounds), bryson johnson (11.1 ppg) and joe willman (10.3 ppg and 6 boards). i expect their efficient inside out offense and tough d should mean a sudden exit for brad stevens’ butler squad early this thursday afternoon. the bisons should subsequently whip the big east’s marquette on saturday and punch their tickets for the east regionals where the run should end against a miami team that has plenty of quickness at guard and the bodies down low to finally stop muscala. i look forward, though, to seeing how bucknell’s big man defends fearless shane larkin on that diminutive cane’s forays to the rim. if the center can stay out of foul trouble and bucknell can keep the game in the low to mid 60’s, it might be an exciting final five minutes a week from now. regardless of the outcome in washington, i expect kansas will win the whole thing ten days later.
be not dismayed by these less than urbane ramblings nor fear that we have abandoned our long standing romance with the (say it ain’t so!) ivy cellar dwelling blue. post tourney we will review the much that went wrong in 2012 – 2013 and suggest how much more might go right next season.
peace out and d up, paulie b
OK Bertaccini keep yapping about Bucknell & Kansas, but in the end The Blue Devils will be holding the Trophy.
After all who says more Hail Mary’s & Our Father’s than the brilliant, illustrious Coach K.
You’ve been watching Ivy League basketball too long to recognize the cream of the crop.
durso, the durham devils were just awesome against the un-great danes of albany. impressive too the showing against creighton. coach k’s petitions go unanswered second weekend of tourney though.
Crimson and clover. More like a four leaf clover for Harvard with #3 seed, New Mexico shooting a dismal 37% to Harvard’s 52%. Just goes to show, Columbia wasted a lot of opportunity this year if they cold beat the team that beat one of the best 12 teams in the country.
rick a, glad to see you are still reading allgame despite its hiatus. no question lions underperformed this ivy season and missed an opportunity to dance. would have been fun to see if steve frankoski could have been as hot as cantabs rivard was against new mexico. take that “upset” as further proof of the improving overall quality of ancient eight hoops. hope you read and comment on post tourney season wrap.
The big dance is always a thrill. The Harvard win got me thinking that Ivy League teams will continue to brighten in the years ahead. The talent we saw on display at CU this season is indicative to me of what can happen when solid players are recruited by a great school; can an invite for CU be that many years away. Remember, when Tampa Bay was the doormat of the American League East? Lou Piniella showed up and the team became a contender. So, keep writing those wonderfully descriptive pieces about your beloved Lions….and I am sure we may see them in the big NCAA Tourney before too, long.