North Carolina Prevails, Barely, Over Ohio

North Carolina might be without the finest point guard in the country, Kendall Marshall, but the Tar Heels showed that any team that has two elite big men like Tyler Zeller and John Henson will be difficult to defeat in the month of March. It wasn’t pretty but North Carolina prevailed in overtime, downing Ohio, 73-65. The Tar Heels did this behind 20 points and 23 rebounds from Zeller, and at game’s end, North Carolina coach Roy Williams stated the obvious, when asked about whether Marshall will play in the Elite Eight:

“We’re just happy North Carolina is playing on Sunday.”

The Tar Heels will live to play another day, despite Harrison Barnes’ best efforts to throw the game. Barnes was puzzling all game long, hitting just 3-of-16 from the field, including five turnovers. Handed the ball at the end of regulation, presumably because of his tremendous reputation as a clutch performer as opposed to any good he worked Friday night, he drove to the hoop and turned it over. With a tie game, seconds remaining on the clock, and no shot clock, Barnes did the one thing he wasn’t supposed to do: cough the ball up. Fortunately, for Barnes and the Tar Heels, Bobcats’ sharpshooter D.J. Cooper’s half-court heave rattled around the rim, forcing overtime.

In the extra period, Barnes hit a huge jump shot from the elbow, and earned his way to the free-throw line with a head-fake from the same spot. But the story of the game, and of the extra period, was Reggie Bullock, who set the tone with a three-pointer to kick off overtime. Bullock finished with 17 points, on 6-of-13 shooting and 5-of-10 shooting from behind the arc. His three-pointer toward the end of regulation, which put the Tar Heels up 63-61, was another game-changer, and his 10 rebounds also provided a big boost.

No one would have guessed the drama that would ensue at game’s end from the way this contest started. Entering the first commercial break, it was quite clear that North Carolina was the superior team. The Tar Heels took an 8-4 lead, with all eight of their points coming from inside the paint. With Stilman White leading the show quite capably, including a finely timed pass to Henson as he cut toward the hoop, the Tar Heels appeared to be in good hands. Leading 17-8, White advanced another beautiful bounce pass to Henson as he streaked across the post, after which Henson drew the foul and converted on both free throws. Even on the one play in which things did not go right for White, a play in which he faked a shot, drove aggressively to the basket, only to run into a big man and lose his grip on the ball, he recovered quite gracefully, easily dishing the ball to Zeller for a hook shot. Obviously, much of the concern about White centers on the fact that he is a walk-on, attempting to replace a five-star recruit in Dexter Strickland. But just as pertinent in my mind, he is only 19 years old, a freshman in college, tasked with leading the most hyped team in college basketball. Talk about a task of epic proportions.But he responded with six assists and no turnovers, and more importantly, showed incredible restraint, attempting just four shots all game long. He passed up several open shots, and showed the type of restraint that we would all love for Barnes to possess.

Despite his injured wrist, Henson started the game with two emphatic dunks, the former of which caused a visible grimace to flicker across Henson’s face. Meanwhile, Zeller was effective, blocking two shots and causing enough fear to disrupt Ohio’s entire post game. When Ivo Baltic had a chance down low, just feet away from the basket, he seemed to bail out as soon as he saw Zeller guarding him, feebly attempting a weak hook shot that never came close to falling. Then the jump shots started to fall for North Carolina. Three-pointers by Harrison Barnes, as if people forgot that North Carolina has one of the top NBA prospects in the country, and Reggie Bullock fell right through the cylinder, and Bullock also hit a fine jump shot from well behind the free-throw line.

Meanwhile, Ohio was weak on the offensive end. The Bobcats entered the intermission shooting a measly 23 percent from the field, including a miserable 1-of-13 clip from the four forwards on their roster. Their interior struggles were best symbolized by that early errant play in which the Bobcats couldn’t convert feet from the basket under heavy pressure from Zeller. Indeed, they abdicated the post, an unhappy but necessary concession that was a clear result of the Tar Heels’ size. So, they were forced to rely on a series of jump shots, which mainly found the front rim, not the bottom of the net, and on a series of drives to the post, which ended weakly. These wisps of drives were capped not with authority, but with careful shots, fade-away shots, that were well shielded from the possibility of a block, but often failed to draw even the slightest touch of the rim.

But the Bobcats fought their way back, literally fought their way back, with aggressive turnover-forcing defense. Ohio swatted away at the ball, knocking it loose several times. It got in the way of North Carolina’s passing lanes and forced some turnovers, even resulting in a rare fast-break lay-up for the Bobcats. All in all, the Tar Heels turned it over 13 times in the first half, an unacceptable number as coach Roy Williams pointed out during his halftime interview. In contrast, the Bobcats turned it over just six times in the first half.

Three pointers, of course, are the one way to defeat the Tar Heels’ tough interior defense. The Bobcats drained four in the first half, three of them coming from the fingertips of Nick Kellogg. Not only did a perimeter-based attack help avoid the twin towers of Henson and Zeller, but it also gave Ohio a chance on the boards. Whereas missed two-pointers tend to fall within the grasp of the tree-like limbs of Henson and Zeller, the long rebounds off missed three-pointers tended to fall in Ohio’s favor. Despite the Bobcats’ distinct disadvantage down low, they were able to grab four offensive rebounds in the first half, just one less than the Tar Heels were able to grab. While Ohio made only 4 of its 15 three-point attempts in the first half, when you consider that it snared approximately three of those missed three-pointers, it’s actually a fairly efficient form of offense.

The question left hanging after the first half, and after Friday’s game, was whether Ohio could have pulled off the upset with a in-tune Cooper. Cooper finished with a miserable 3-of-20 clip from the field, including just 1-of-10 from behind the arc. His uncanny swagger, attempting shots from 35 feet out toward game’s end and spotting up from a myriad of unlikely locales all game long, is obviously what makes Cooper so good, but it’s also what lost the game for Ohio on Friday night. His miserable shooting performance compromised an awful lot of possessions for the Bobcats.

At halftime, you got an interesting sense of two different outlooks on a game that teetered toward being a North Carolina blowout before settling into a fairly close game. Williams was understandably irritated about his team’s 13 turnovers, and could only talk about how his team needed to play better, a message he reiterated after the game. Meanwhile, John Groce seemed thrilled with his team at the intermission, and implored his team to fight on, although after the game, he admitted how much a loss like this stung. But it’s a story of two different teams with two different sets of expectations. For North Carolina, given its talent, a small lead over Ohio at halftime was not acceptable. The Tar Heels’ sloppy play was not acceptable. Neither was Barnes’ lackadasical style, and so Williams needed to fire his team up, which I’m sure he did his best to do. Meanwhile, Ohio gave all the fight it could in the first half, and managed to dig its way out of a deep hole. It kept hope alive, a hope that Groce wanted to prevail during his halftime speech. Two different perspectives, both fitting for the situation. Two of the game’s best coaches were right on message.

In the second half, Ohio drew North Carolina’s lead down to four, on an opening three-pointer by Walter Offutt. The Bobcats had a chance to draw the Tar Heels’ lead down further on a beautiful entry pass to Jon Smith, who was wide open behind the North Carolina defense. But Smith was somehow unable to put the ball in, either by lay-up or dunk, rolling the ball off the front rim. His miss, on an indescribably easy shot, might have been the turning point of the game, as North Carolina came back and scored on a short Zeller hook shot. Then, Henson finished a fast-break with a pretty finger roll. That was followed by another pretty fast break, as White was blocked on his initial drive, but Zeller’s diligence and hard work paid off as he picked up the deflection and laid the ball back in. That brought North Carolina’s lead back to 10 points.

But, as the process of evolution dictates, Ohio only came back with greater fervor and skill. The Bobcats hit their first four three-pointers of the half to draw within a point of the Tar Heels. Even with D.J. Cooper still unable to hit from behind the arc, or anywhere, Ohio streaked, led by the play of Offutt. His 26 points, on 10-of-18 shooting, including 6-of-10 from behind the arc, paid enormous dividends for Ohio, and the fact that he fouled out in the closing minutes of overtime may have been the biggest break to fall North Carolina’s way late. It was at that moment that I knew Ohio was not going to rally back one last time.

But transitioning back to the early moments of the second half, the Bobcats showed marked improvement from the first half, doing a far better job of earning their three-point opportunities. Instead of forcing up prayers from downtown, they threatened inside, displaying a menace in the post, before dishing it out to the perimeter. This process resulted in multiple wide-open three-pointers. First, there was an excellent drive toward the basket, in which the Bobcats player worked his way under the hoop, drawing both Henson and Zeller on defense, before kicking it back out to Offutt for an open three-pointer. Then, Ivo Baltic demonstrated why the Tar Heels needed to keep their eyes open down low, finishing with a strong lay-up down low. Ohio continued the fun with a three-pointer from Offutt, off another Baltic assist. The Bobcats’ ability to at least penetrate the post in the second half was a key part of their rally.

North Carolina threatened to pull away, first with a made three-pointer from Bullock, and then with an authoritative dunk from James Michael McAdoo. But just when Ohio fell back into a funk, the Bobcats got the break they had long been looking for. Cooper, at long last, made a three-pointer, and then a sloppy turnover by North Carolina, led to another Ohio possession. The Bobcats were able to capitalize with another open three-pointer, created by a nice baseline drive by Offutt that freed up Kellogg from behind the three-point line. His ensuing shot gave Ohio a 47-46 lead.

But the Tar Heels can shoot too. Bullock drained a three-pointer from the top of the key, and then Henson hit a turnaround. Not to be deterred, the Bobcats got another beautiful play from Cooper, who everyone assumes is going to shoot the ball on every opportunity. Instead, he whipped a pass 30 feet to Reggie Keely, who finished with Ohio’s most authoritative dunk of the evening. That drew the Bobcats within 53-52. And then on a fast-break opportunity created by the Tar Heels’ inability to finish, Cooper took it to the one player on North Carolina that isn’t a blocking threat, White, with no fear, finishing with a lay-up and a chance at the charity stripe.

The funny thing is that while Ohio was most well known for its three-pointers Friday night, North Carolina possesses some of the top three-point shooters in the nation, the kind of guys who won the McDonald’s three-point shooting competition in high school, and the kind of guys who can hit from deep whenever the mood strikes them. Those three-pointers kept the Tar Heels alive, as Barnes and Bullock gave North Carolina the lead back. But then Offutt came back with another incredible drive to the hoop, a fine play in which he switched hands, laid it in, and drew the foul. But with the score tied at 63, and the chance to put the pressure on the Tar Heels with a make, Offutt succumbed to the pressure himself, clanking his attempt from the charity stripe.

As a result of that critical missed free throw by Ohio, North Carolina had the ball at the end of regulation with no pressure. The shot clock was off. The Tar Heels had a chance to win the game. And assuming no sloppy mistakes, a big assumption given North Carolina’s walk-on freshman point guard, the Tar Heels would, at the very least, have five minutes in overtime to try to win the game if their final possession was unsuccessful. But the problem wasn’t their questionable point guard, it was Harrison Barnes. Ice-cold all night long, Barnes tried forcing a score and ended up giving the ball away, providing Cooper with one miraculous chance to win the game. He nearly did, firing a little too long and a little too far to the right, coming inches away from a game-winner. Instead, it was a Butler-like near-miss.

And then came overtime. Ohio, which relied on three-point shooting all night long, scoring 36 of its 65 points from behind the arc, scored just two points in the extra period. North Carolina did just enough to win, and as Williams said at game’s end, just winning is more than enough for this particular evening. They’ll have plenty of time to work out the kinks, as they await the winner of the Kansas/North Carolina State game in the Elite Eight.

Federer Back On Top, Purdue Comes Oh So Close

Watching North Carolina take on Creighton made for an interesting sight. Obviously, the big news was that the Tar Heels lost another key cog in their championship machine. It’s not clear how long Kendall Marshall will be out for, but I think if he’s out, that ends all of their hopes. There is no better facilitator of an attack than Marshall, who entered the year as one of the best passers in the country, and then improved his shot greatly this season to become a true all-around weapon. With his wrist now fractured, and John Henson’s wrist in spotty shape as well, bad luck has befallen North Carolina at exactly the wrong time. This team is talented enough to overcome any loss, including Henson’s, but losing Marshall might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Bet Tar Heels fans are wishing they didn’t treat Larry Drew II so badly now. They could really use him at this moment.

Anyway, back to the game. As ridiculous as Creighton junior center Gregory Echenique looks with his pink shoes and sporty glasses, I like his aggression, even if he did get away with a Shaquille O’Neal-like elbow on Tyler Zeller. He moves pretty fast for his size, beating nearly everyone up the court on one Creighton fast break, and has a nice collection of hook shots at his disposal. He also showcased a few nice fakes and some lateral quickness and had an absolutely vicious dunk on a North Carolina defender. Between him and Doug McDermott, who can clean up down low as well as anyone, the Bluejays are impressive down low.

Tar Heels forward John Henson, of course, was wild early, drawing a rather stupid technical foul when he got up in a Creighton player’s face after what appeared to be incidental contact. He then let the off-the-court antics get in his way on-the-court, as he tried to avenge his anger on one quick play, overpowering a layup well beyond the square, for an embarrassing miss. He quickly regained control, however, hitting a nice lay-up, followed by a jump shot and then blocking what would have been an easy lay-up on the defensive end. Meanwhile, Kendall Marshall was his usual stellar self, leading the fast break with his long, quick passes, while also spotting up and hitting everything in sight. He scored 13 points in the game’s first 13 minutes, including a three-pointer and an even prettier play, in which he trailed his pass, and ended up with a finger roll. Marshall continues to prove himself as a rare talent.

As for Henson, who left the game temporarily with an injury toward the end of the first half, he played long enough to place the game in the Tar Heels’ hands, and that was enough for Sunday. As if to reassure anxious North Carolina fans, James McAdoo scored on an easy cut to the basket on the very next play, as if to remind Tar Heels’ fans that they still had an All-American under the hoop. Two if you count Zeller. That’s the luxury of rooting for a basketball factory like North Carolina, of course, where if one star gets injured, you churn out another. Moments later, McAdoo reaffirmed his presence on the court, blocking McDermott as he tried to swing back and forth and maneuver his way toward an open shot. Creighton had cut its deficit from 15 to eight at that point, so McAdoo’s block was crucial. Then, Marshall missed a free throw, and McAdoo tipped the rebound back to a teammate. It was a solid end to the half for McAdoo if not for the Tar Heels, who entered the intermission with a tenuous eight-point lead. Coach Roy Williams, clearly unhappy with the 7-0 Bluejays run to end the half, told the sideline reporter that his team had to stop playing “silly basketball” and when the sideline reporter tried to eek out some praise for Marshall, the veteran coach simply mentioned that it would be nice if Marshall would stop turning the ball over, please. It was one of the more entertaining sideline interviews you will ever see, and gave viewers some idea of how uncomfortable that locker room might be. In retrospect, Williams would probably take Marshall and his turnovers, over walk-on point guard Stilman White. Meanwhile, if Marshall truly is out, Tyler Zeller will have to step it up in the post, and interior weapons James McAdoo and Desmond Hubert might have to help lead a grittier Tar Heels attack, as they transition from Showtime to old-fashioned Motor City basketball. Of course, anytime you have a weapon like Harrison Barnes, who wowed me with consecutive step-back three-pointers from well behind the arc, you have a chance. He’s the ultimate athlete, if not yet the ultimate basketball player. With Marshall out, the open looks for P.J. Hairston and Reggie Bullock might be no longer. Instead, of Marshall creating shots for them, guys like Barnes will have to create their own shots in the half-court offense, because I don’t think Stilman White is going to beat the defense up the court, with his legs or his passes.

Also, one more note, the whole stadium setup of the NCAA Tournament is mind-boggling and patently unfair. I know it’s inevitable that some regional arenas will fall somewhere close to the homes of the 68 teams participating in March Madness, but to have Duke and North Carolina’s games take place in Greensboro, North Carolina is absurd. Why not put Duke and North Carolina in the West bracket to avoid such occurrences? Because otherwise it’s simply unfair to teams like Lehigh and Creighton, to put them in a stadium with 14,000 Tar Heels fans or 10,000 Blue Devils fans. That just doesn’t seem right. Especially when Creighton, instead of playing in the Omaha region, was forced to play in Greensboro. That’s pretty messed up.

Meanwhile, in one of the major stories of this year’s NCAA Tournament, Purdue nearly capped off a dream weekend for the Big Ten. If the Boilermakers had beaten the Jayhawks, they would have become the fifth conference team to make it into the Sweet Sixteen. Ultimately, they fell short. But while Purdue may have lost, Robbie Hummel will never be forgotten. This is one of those games that will be aired over and over again on ESPN Classic, as it was a nail-biter the entire way, from the early moments when you wondered how much longer Kansas would miss easy shots for and wondered how many more three-pointers Purdue could hit, to the late moments when the Boilermakers’ lead was continually whittled down, but never seemed to fade away. The end was magical, as multiple Purdue shots came a smidgen away from falling, including what would have been a game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer. Down three, the Boilermakers got the perfect inbound pass, a beautiful half-court heave to Ryne Smith, who nearly banked it home, but his half-court shot ultimately glanced off of the front rim. And so it ended, one of the most entertaining games of this March Madness, and one of the great stories of this college basketball season, the improbable rebirth of Robbie Hummel.

Purdue seized an early ten-point lead behind incredible three-point shooting, particularly from Robbie Hummel. The senior was confidently taking shots from everywhere, from well behind the arc, and with defenders on him. He hit several tough shots from the baseline, and each time, his shot looked the same, rolling off the bottom of the bucket. He was in the zone. He didn’t hesitate. He simply shot. Purdue, as a whole, took that philosophy, rolling off screens, and stopping in motion to take three-pointers. On the other hand, you had to believe that Kansas would come back once it stopped trying to shoot the ball so much, and started exploiting its natural advantage in the paint. Why the Jayhawks came out shooting three-pointers, I’ll never know. But still they were missing some easy shots, and you had to figure that they wouldn’t shoot at a 2-of-16 rate for the duration of the contest. Momentum first started to swing in my opinion when D.J. Byrd tried to save a loose ball out-of-bounds, only to fling it right into Kansas’ hands, leading to a fast break and an intentional foul call, which was bogus in my opinion, since he was going for the block. Regardless, it got the Jayhawks’ fan base incensed, and then when Conner Teahan made a three-pointer with minutes to go in the first half to draw Kansas within six, it was clear that it was game on. Same when Tyshawn Taylor drained a three-pointer to draw Kansas within four. From there on out, it was a physical contest, and while the Jayhawks were certainly dominant on the boards, you have to give the Boilermakers credit for their impressive physicality. That physicality rewarded them in the post, where they held Thomas Robinson in check for the majority of the evening.

But at the end, as Purdue took a six-point lead into the intermission, it was all about Hummel, particularly on one possession in which all of Purdue’s cuts were blocked off. With five seconds left, Hummel was behind the arc, and was dribbling away from the basket, a hopeless wanderer it seemed, until he suddenly turned around, and chucked up a quick shot. Again, it fell right in. Finishing the half with 22 points, Hummel literally missed just one free-throw attempt and one three-point attempt in the first half. He stepped out-of-bounds on one drive to the basket, but other than that, he was picture-perfect: aggressive on the boards, and sterling on the shot. It was a long time in coming for Hummel, who has endured so much, and is now enjoying the moment. As someone who just suffered a sprained ankle himself, I admire Hummel’s boldness and reckless abandon on the court, flopping about, even after he underwent two ACL surgeries on the same knee.

In the second half, you could see the difference from the opening possession. It’s not as if Hummel was open in the first half, most of his three-pointers came with a defender marking him, but in the second half, Kansas stepped it up a notch, harassing Hummel as he tried to post up, and even cutting Hummel off as he attempted to get rid of the ball, nearly forcing a turnover. But Purdue’s other scorers stepped up in Hummel’s wake, at least at first. More important, the Boilermakers started adding offensive rebounds to their arsenal, taking advantage of the Jayhawks’ zone defense, to find their way to the glass. They had five more shots than the Jayhawks did midway through the second half, a reversal of what happened in the first half, but the shots began to abandon Purdue. Timely shots maintained its lead for a while, but with Lewis Jackson unable to finish his drives to the hoop, and the threes suddenly not falling, the game began to tighten up. Kansas had a big chance, down 47-44, when it got several open shot opportunities, boosted by multiple offensive rebounds, but it couldn’t take advantage, and on the other end, D.J. Byrd again proved that he could do more than hit threes, grabbing the offensive rebound, and drawing a foul to get to the charity stripe. His ensuing free-throws brought the Boilermakers’ lead to five.

But Purdue’s lack of elite scorers killed it at game’s end. While Kansas had Thomas Robinson there to block Lewis Jackson’s final failed swoop to the hoop, Purdue only had Hummel, which was good enough for the majority of the game but not for its entirety. While the Jayhawks had Elijah Johnson heaving it half-court to Tyshawn Taylor for an alley-oop with a little over a minute remaining, the Boilermakers had no such flare. Give credit to Johnson. That was an incredibly risky play, with his team trailing by three, and with an advantage on the fast-break, to go for the alley-oop. If it fails, Purdue probably wins the game, and Johnson finds himself in Bill Self’s doghouse. But instead, the play worked to perfection. Meanwhile, Purdue got a couple of last big plays from Robbie Hummel. He had a beautiful score off of an inbound pass, in which he caught the ball in mid-air, hung in the stratosphere as he flowed toward the hoop and let a little floater go that found its way into the hoop. Later on, he made a gorgeous power move to the hoop, kissing the ball high off of the glass for two points. But 22 of Hummel’s 26 points came in the first half, as did 36 of Purdue’s 60 points, and without him, the Boilermakers simply weren’t the same. Lewis Jackson, as quick and spritely as he is, couldn’t finish a drive to save his life, and as lovely as Purdue’s cast of characters are, they couldn’t step up when they needed to the most. And Jackson, at the end, killed them, trying to dribble out possessions like a man working his way around a minefield. It reminded me of the old computer game, Minesweeper, as Jackson dribbled around, trying to avoid contact, until he dribbled right into a Jayhawks’ defender. His turnover with a minute or so remaining was an absolute cardinal sin, and a deadly bad break to befall Purdue.

Ladies and gentlemen, in spite of tonight’s loss, watch out for the Boilermakers. That’s all I have to say. Not necessarily this year. I don’t think this Purdue team ever had what it took to win a national championship. Not necessarily next year, because Hummel’s loss will be hard to cope with. But in the next couple of years, with a Top 15 recruiting class coming in, and one of the best coaches in the nation at its helm, watch out for Purdue. Seriously, what Matt Painter has done with a bunch of feisty role players and a couple of shooters is astounding. The Boilermakers possess such strong and fundamental defense. This is a team that you can say with certainty is a well-coached squad. Give Painter credit. Purdue has its man.

On the upset side of things, nothing is more depressing than a dandy of an underdog falling flat in the ensuing round. After all the energy, hype and hoopla generated from a thrilling upset, it’s as much of a downer as you can get when said underdog falls by 20 points in the next round. It’s as if, after a joyous moment of anarchy, order is restored. Disbelief turns into belief, before falling back into disbelief. That happened to some extent with Norfolk State. People will not notice, they will only remember the stunning upset, but after beating Missouri, the Spartans were demolished by the Gators. So, they will be thought of forever on as one-hit wonders, a group of men who came together on one special night, before the reality of their inferiority reasserted itself against Florida. Unlike VCU which will long be remembered for one magical season, Norfolk State will be remembered for one magical night. Lehigh, on the other hand, fought valiantly against Xavier, disappointing nobody. Not that there were many people to disappoint. It was sad to see the number of empty seats at the end of the Xavier-Lehigh game. Clearly, a mass exodus of fans followed the conclusion of the North Carolina game, which is a shame, considering how much good basketball remained. Wouldn’t Tar Heels fans want to stick around to see the Mountain Hawks team that downed the mighty Blue Devils?

Meanwhile, on the tennis court, John Isner didn’t seem to be on the attack in the championship match of the BNP Paribas Open as he was in his semifinal match against Novak Djokovic. Roger Federer was able to return his serves to the back-end of the court, often pressing Isner up against the back line. Meanwhile, Federer displayed a dominant serve of his own, compiling three straight aces at one point, and indeed, he never appeared challenged on his own serve. His drop shot was devastating, he hit the lines with no fear and he took advantage of Isner’s lanky build. Far too often, Isner simply gave up on the ball, freezing in the middle of the court, unsure of where to go, absolutely sure of the point’s fate.

The game really turned on the first tiebreaker, as emotion and momentum swayed back and forth throughout. Federer angrily swung his racket, and smacked an extra ball into the net, after falling behind 3-2. He was far happier after breaking consecutive serves from Isner, but Federer was broken himself, and later on in the tiebreak, Isner fought back with a serve so powerful that Federer was left waving his racket like a wimpy wand. Ultimately, in a tiebreaker that remained close until the very end, Federer was able to hold his own, thus securing an impressive and hard-fought victory.

A Big Chip on Northwestern’s Shoulder

Northwestern got jipped. Let there be no doubt about it, the Wildcats were robbed. No, I’m not one of those crazies who still thinks that they should have made the NCAA Tournament. Admittedly, they were handed millions of chances to make it to March Madness and dropped the ball each and every time. Their inability to win a single, close game all year was laughable at best, and no, wins over Penn State and Iowa don’t count, considering the way Northwestern essentially did all it could to give both games away in the final minutes. Yes, I still think the fact that South Florida made it over Northwestern is an embarrassment, considering the Bulls’ inexplicable number of awful losses, including Auburn, Old Dominion and Penn State, but overall, I’m content to admit that we did not deserve a bid into March Madness.

But a No. 4 seed in the NIT? You have to be kidding me. You’re telling me that Northwestern is on a similar level as its first-round opponent, No. 5 seed Akron? You’re telling me that Stanford, with its 10-8 record in the susceptible Pac-12, is better than Northwestern? This is a team that notched its best wins against Oregon and California teams that barely eked their way into the tournament. This No. 4 seed is a joke, a clear indication that the NIT selection committee doesn’t respect the Big Ten, arguably the top conference in college basketball. It’s a clear indication that the committee didn’t watch close losses to Ohio State or Michigan, or better yet, didn’t care. How is it that a Northwestern team that was considered one of the first several teams out of the NCAA Tournament, that was still picked by Jerry Palm as making it to March Madness, that was long considered a No. 1 seed in the NIT somehow fell to a No. 4 seed in the NIT? You’re telling me that a loss to an inspired Minnesota team that was clearly playing its best basketball of the season and nearly downed Michigan in overtime a day later despite its exhaustion, dropped the Wildcats this far. That’s ridiculous. Northwestern should have had multiple home games in store. Now, they face the frightening prospect of traveling to Washington for a second-round match, and having a second straight season end in the Evergreen State. Let it be known that I called bullshit before the NIT even began.

In hockey, overtime losses are rewarded by a single point. Clearly, close losses are not rewarded by the NCAA Tournament and NIT selection committees. While they might have been the least clutch team in the United States of America, the Wildcats showed that they could compete with nearly every single team in the country. They held Ohio State, Michigan and Indiana close, gave Creighton a scare on the road and famously downed Michigan State at home. Few were the times in which Northwestern looked completely outmatched. This is a Wildcats team that could clearly light up your television set every night, if not the victory column. Yet, clearly a cynical committee decided that their 8-10 record in the best basketball conference in the country was not all that impressive. When you think about it, Northwestern beat very few good teams, mainly downing the chaff of the Big Ten, while falling to the wheat. But you would think the Wildcats would get more credit for the way they played in their non-conference schedule, the way they downed Louisiana State and Seton Hall in the Charleston Classic, the ease with which they defeated Nebraska, their road win over a talented Illinois team and their win over Michigan State.

Akron at Northwestern, NIT First Round, 8:00 p.m. ESPN2

But here we are, with an opening contest against Akron at Welsh-Ryan Arena. If Northwestern loses, it will have the interesting and unusual distinction of having both its soccer and basketball seasons end at the hands (and feet) of the Zips. But hopefully, Northwestern asserts itself as playing on a different level, a few stories up on the old glass elevator, than Akron. This is an Akron team that lost five of its first eight, while Northwestern was playing well against a high level of competition in its non-conference schedule. This is a Zips team that lost by 24 to Middle Tennessee State and by five to Duquesne. Their biggest win likely came against Detroit. Give them credit, they did well in conference play, gave several good teams a fight and came back well from an awful start to the season, but I want Northwestern to win this game very, very badly. The Wildcats ought to play this game with a chip on their shoulder.

The main obstacle standing in their way, of course, will be seven-foot center Zeke Marshall, who is Akron’s leading scorer with 10.2 points per game. He also averages 5.3 rebounds per game and 2.8 blocks per game. This is obviously the last thing Northwestern needed, a tall guy that can expose the Wildcats’ weakness down low, literally stepping on their Achilles heel for 40 minutes of action at Welsh-Ryan Arena, and completely disproving all that I said about Northwestern playing at a higher level. This is an Akron team that also plays good defense, although they’ve likely seen few attacks like that which Northwestern boasts. They’ve likely seen few players of John Shurna and Drew Crawford’s ilk as well. But the Zips are solid, boast a couple of guys who hit 44 percent or more of their shots from three-point land, burying into another Northwestern weakness, and tend to hold their own on the boards. They are certainly capable of the upset, but for once, I hope that the Wildcats do what they’ve done all season. No, i don’t mean collapse in the clutch. I mean easily dispatch of an inferior team, and show that we belonged on a higher plane. There’s a big chip on my shoulder. I hope I can say the same of my team.

NOTES

Knowing how much help the Buffalo Bills need, I would say stay away from trying to lure targets like Peyton Manning, and focus on upgrading the wide receiving corps (Pierre Garcon is just 25 years old) since Stevie Johnson is a shaky No. 1 wide receiver. Also, an upgrade in the secondary (tough-minded Cortland Finnegan would add personality to the defense, and help with the run game as well as the Bills’ pass defense) would be nice … Meanwhile, heading back to Evanston for a moment, let’s play a fun game over the next couple of days and try to rank and compare the Northwestern basketball teams from the past four years. Since the Wildcats have made the NIT in four consecutive seasons, let’s figure out which NIT teams were the best, and which were the worst. Did you prefer Jeremy Nash as the defensive, athletic component of the Wildcats’ roster or Jershon Cobb? Would you rather have Michael “Juice” Thompson running the show or Dave Sobolewski? Did you like John Shurna as Kevin Coble’s sniper sidekick or did you like Shurna better as the team’s No. 1 option? I’ll start examining these questions later in the week, but feel free to start commenting now.

Northwestern, North Carolina and the Beginnings of March Madness

After all of the bad breaks Northwestern has received over the years, it was nice to see the Wildcats catch a break or two against the Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Just thinking back on those final couple of minutes, Northwestern didn’t exactly look confident in closing out the game Saturday, but somehow it got the job done. Two free throws by Alex Marcotullio, who I wanted shooting the free throws since he has ice water in his veins, barely rattled in. Meanwhile, Iowa missed a solid shot at a three-pointer in the closing seconds that would have won it. Now, everyone keeps saying that the Hawkeyes missed a wide-open three-pointer. I’m less convinced of that. The Wildcats did a nice job of closing out, and blocking the sight line of the Hawkeyes’ shooter, but no doubt about it, it was a great opportunity for Iowa, and a shot that has seemed to fall every other time in Northwestern history, finally hit rim, and so the Wildcats caught a break. So, Northwestern won the game and now remains firmly enmeshed in the bubble conversation. Just to hear our university talked about it in that way carries its own kind of thrill, and for once, having more than a dream to play for in Indianapolis is refreshing. And if we do ultimately land in the NIT, three home games likely await us. But since Marcotullio’s shots did ultimately roll into the basket, let’s dare to dream for a while, and enjoy a few more weeks of March Madness. Let’s bask in the feeling of Madness in Evanston. God knows when we will get this feeling again.

I was impressed with the fury with which the Wildcats played on Saturday. Their defense was awfully stingy, forcing 18 turnovers, and those turnovers allowed them to overcome an enormous early deficit. On the offensive end, however, it seemed as if Northwestern was almost playing with too much energy early on, as the Wildcats were doing a beautiful job of driving to the hoop, only to mangle passes and overpower easy shots. It was as if the blood was pumping a little too rapidly. But give them credit. After falling behind by 15, they didn’t just stem the tide, they turned the tide around completely. Facing a fired-up Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the Wildcats went on a 27-5 run to end the half, relying on their defensive ferocity and ability to run the court to generate quick points.

Giving Gatens Due Credit

Give a lot of credit to Matt Gatens, who went 6-for-12 on his Senior Night, going 38 minutes without a single turnover. He has only turned it over three times or more four times this season, and has always been a solid player, if not a great one. And when he hit that three from several feet behind the arc on Saturday, to draw Iowa within a basket or two, I seriously thought Northwestern might be screwed. Gatens was a scary player in his day, and he’ll need to be scary in the Big Ten Tournament to give Iowa a shot at the NIT. Currently, Iowa is said to be on the NIT bubble, but is not projected to make it in. Why Minnesota is projected to get into the NIT over Iowa remains unclear to me, especially when the Hawkeyes posted a far better record in Big Ten play.

Wildcats’ Season In Review

At 8-10 in conference, the Wildcats were actually right where I was hoping they would end up at the beginning of the season. Well, OK, so maybe I had slightly more ambitious dreams, but they definitely did some things right this season. In past years, Northwestern has struggled to win the easy games, and this year, they took care of business with a ruthless nature at times. They won the Charleston Classic, kicked Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa off the court at Welsh-Ryan Arena, and showed that not every Wildcats game needs to come down to the final buzzer. But they lost zillions of close games, and with Shurna missing that final free-throw against Iowa, and a shaky performance toward the end at Penn State, the Wildcats still lack clutch credentials. For that matter, they still somewhat lack credentials for the NCAA Tournament. On the face of it, they deserve to make the tournament. I think there’s little doubt that Northwestern is one of the top 68 teams in the nation, but that’s not how the tournament works, and the fact is that Northwestern was unable to capitalize on any of its million chances to pick up a third signature victory. Beating Michigan State was impressive. Beating Illinois on the road, at a place Northwestern rarely wins, was impressive. Coming back from a sharp deficit at Carver-Hawkeye Arena was impressive. As was winning the Charleston Classic. But will voters still be smarting over the bad taste of a season gone wrong, of opportunities spoiled and chances given away? Or will they recognize that Northwestern was close in every single one of its losses toward the end of the season, was rarely outclassed and almost always makes for good television? There’s two different ways to approach the issue, and how one chooses to interpret Northwestern’s many close losses will go a long way in deciding whether it makes the tournament or not.

Bubble Boys Take to Indianapolis

I’m definitely pleased with Northwestern’s draw in the Big Ten Tournament. The Wildcats get to take on a Golden Gophers team that they looked dominant against the last time they met up in Evanston, and the last time they met up in Indianapolis. Thankfully, their Big Ten Tournament meeting will take place far away from the Barn, where Minnesota has pummeled Northwestern year after year. The Golden Gophers have lots of talented role players, and a should-be star in Rodney Williams, but they have no one that can take over a game the way Brandon Paul and Meyers Leonard can. Ralph Sampson III is fairly flimsy inside, which works well with Northwestern’s interior players, who are all extremely flimsy. I could actually see Shurna, who has a surprising number of blocks in the post, match up effectively against Sampson III, tormenting him with his speed, creativity and power. The only issue is that Sampson III, like Leonard, does block a lot of shots, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him swat away several of Dave Sobolewski’s drives to the net, which would be unfortunate since driving to the hoop is a key part of Northwestern’s game.

If they beat the Golden Gophers, they would move on to face a Wolverines team that they have played close twice before, a Michigan team that lacks a dominant inside force. What scares me most about a potential match with Michigan is that the Wolverines chuck up far more three-pointers than any other team in the Big Ten, and the Wildcats have a fascinating inability to contest top three-point shooters. Northwestern may want to consider abandoning the 1-3-1 zone during parts of a potential match against Michigan. If this game is to reach overtime, like their previous two games against Michigan, then the Wildcats will be boosted by the presence of JerShon Cobb, who has been a critical cog in recent weeks. His defensive energy has been most impressive, as has his ability to rebound the ball, and he is slowly emerging as a scorer as well. He went 6-for-11 against Iowa with three assists, and many of his mid-range jumpers and floaters came in the midst of Northwestern’s season-defining rally at Iowa City. As one of the few Wildcats who can create his own shots, shoot deep, or drive aggressively, Cobb could be invaluable, and his three-point form has slowly come back to respectability. I was very happy to see his picture as one of the leading pictures on the Wildcats’ website. While he might not score like Shurna and Crawford, he deserves a lot of the credit for the way that they have been playing lately.

To address some of the furor surrounding Northwestern, many appear irate at the thought of a team that finished with a sub-.500 record in conference play making the NCAA Tournament. That’s a legitimate opinion. But don’t forget that Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois and Penn State all made it with 9-9 Big Ten records last season, and similar overall records, and furthermore, they all earned fairly high seeds. Michigan was a No. 8 seed, Illinois was a No. 9 seed, and Michigan State and Penn State were both No. 10 seeds. So it’s not that ridiculous to think that Northwestern, with a conference record of just one game below .500, might earn a No. 16 seed, or at least a chance to play-in to the tournament. Add in their really strong performance in non-conference play, and the fact that they essentially have no bad losses, and you have a case for the NCAA Tournament. That being said, I do agree that the Wildcats need a win in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament to really give themselves a chance on Selection Sunday.

Notes About Purdue-Indiana

I can’t help but make a quick comment about Tom Pritchard. He is adorable if not all that talented. He’s the classic Big Ten athlete that you have to respect just because he goes out and competes the right way. In the several minutes I watched, he made two great plays, diving on the floor for a loose ball and hitting a hook shot. Both were nice hustle plays. On the hook shot, it was a clumsy play. He probably should have had the dunk off of a beautiful entry pass, but by the time he collected himself, two defenders were in his face, so he had to work hard, shuffle his feet, and use a crafty little hook to pick up the bucket. His limited athleticism also showed when he missed a dunk and ran straight into a pick within seconds of each other. But again, you have to give him credit for his effort.

Also, let’s give some credit to the fan at Assembly Hall who held a sign with an arrow pointing up to the rafters. It read: “Purdue, here are what banners look like.” Or something like that. Anyway, it was brilliant Hoosier State trash talk, and essentially the ultimate version of the “scoreboard” taunt, except that, instead of referring to a single game, it’s referring to an entire program’s history. Also, a lot of credit to the way this rivalry has run, as we saw both Pritchard and D.J. Byrd of Purdue hit the deck for loose balls. The effort is great, even if Indiana was decidedly in control this season. Purdue did make a late run. After falling behind by 13, the Boilermakers hit a couple of mid-range jumpers and floaters, forced an inbound steal, and a Byrd three-pointer cut the Hoosiers’ lead to six with more than a minute remaining. Unfortunately, Hummel, apparently unaware that he had four personal fouls, picked up his fifth, and from that point on, it was pretty clear who would win the game.

Notes About North Carolina-Duke

The latest installment in the Tobacco Road rivalry was a little bit of a dud, with North Carolina finally showcasing its superior talent. In particular, John Henson was that superior talent, hitting mid-range jumpers with astonishing frequency to complement what is already a potent post game. Tyler Zeller continued an incredible run, with his 9-of-11 performance, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds. His ability to tip shots in and finish off entry passes has always been impressive. And of course no one dishes it like Kendall Marshall, who had 10 of his team’s 13 assists. I was impressed with Mason Plumlee. He had 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting in the losing effort, and his assortment of power moves, gritty play and hook shots were something to behold.

But the fact is that North Carolina will always be a better post team, out-rebounding Duke 42-22 on Saturday night, and when the threes aren’t falling for the Blue Devils (6-of-21 on Saturday), they stand little chance of winning. That’s why I can’t take Duke seriously as a title contender. The Blue Devils will always be a top notch team, but can they remain hot for an entire NCAA Tournament run? I will say Duke can start its resurgence with a more aggressive Austin Rivers. Approximately half of his shots were from three-point range, but he is such a good driver, and that could add to his game tremendously. Two interesting notes: North Carolina had only one block and Duke turned it over just six times (with four of those turnovers coming from Rivers). The Tar Heels’ tendency to take off large swaths of time, with hasty threes and turnovers, nearly came back to bite them against the Blue Devils, and could haunt them again in the future.

One more cool note concerning North Carolina. Upon checking the brackets, it appears that the Tar Heels could be in for a meeting with the Hoosiers somewhere down the line, which would mean an intriguing contest of older brother versus younger brother. This would be the one time they ever got the chance to face off, with Tyler Zeller about to depart Chapel Hill, and it would be a rare chance to see brothers go up one-on-one, even if North Carolina would win the overall match handily.

Coming Up Next: Either Tuesday or Wednesday, I will preview the entire Big Ten Tournament for you. Do not miss it. It should be a whole lot of fun.

Living On A Prayer

Northwestern 67 – Penn State 66

First of all, my apologies for not posting more of late. I’ve been really occupied this week with my work for Pro Football Weekly. We’ve been at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis all week, and between the 9-7 days at Lucas Oil Stadium and the long nights of writing at the Comfort Suites across the street, there hasn’t been much time to think about anything other than the NFL. But I figure as long as I’m on the blog tonight, speaking about Northwestern’s win over Penn State, I might as well make a few remarks about the Combine. I’ll try to say something more poetic later, but I should say that I was struck by the similarities between the young kids I was interviewing and myself. At this point, you might be rolling your eyes and smacking your forehead, but I’m serious. Sure, my 40 time would probably be greater than five seconds and my height and weight is more fitting for a career on the links, but beyond the obvious gap in athleticism, there are some serious similarities. Most of us are college seniors. We are all surrounded by the most elite members of our profession and we are all hoping to make a winning impression. In my case, I’m surrounded by some of the most talented sports journalists in the country, big shots like Chris Mortensen and Rachel Nichols, as well as lesser known print journalists, and I’m simply trying to prove I belong. And like the athletes, I’m simply honored to be at the Combine, as hard as I might have to work there, as stressful as it might be. Wisconsin punter Bradley Nortman probably said it best when he told a couple of us:

It’s a thrill, it really is, it’s once in a lifetime. So few get to be part of something this special, something this busy, something that has this much impact on their life, and you know everything about it, I’m just excited to be a part of and to be given an opportunity like this, I’m very blessed.

Back to the important things in life like Northwestern basketball, let me just start by saying that Bon Jovi’s timeless mantra has never seemed more fitting than tonight. Except instead of living on a prayer, it’s living on a call, as a whistle in the final seconds sent John Shurna to the free-throw line with a chance to tie or win the game. He drained both shots, providing the decisive margin in Northwestern’s 67-66 victory over Penn State.

First of all, no matter what Penn State coach Patrick Chambers might think, I believe that the referees absolutely made the right call. There’s little doubt in my mind that Shurna was fouled after he hoisted up his prayer of a jump shot, if not earlier when he received the entry pass. Replays showed fairly conclusively in my opinion that one of the two defenders hit Shurna on the arm. Right call or not, Chambers certainly embarrassed himself when he tried to chase the referees off the court. Thank God his assistant got in his way and held him back, because it seemed to me like he was about to do something that would bring great shame on Penn State. He had nothing to be so angry about. It was certainly a close call, and by no means, a blown call. If he was angry at anybody, his rage should have been directed toward his defender, who made the mistake of fouling Shurna on a very difficult jump shot attempt. As for Shurna, give him credit, not only for draining the free throws but for drawing the foul. Just snatching that entry pass away from the double-team was impressive, and then he had the presence of mind to realize that with the way the defenders were hounding him, a shot would likely result in a foul. I can’t say, of course, whether or not he was thinking that, but it certainly seemed like a smart play from my vantage point, and a brilliant way of working his way to the free-throw line. And then for a guy who has struggled on his free throws at times this season to swish the two biggest free throws of his life, well, it was impressive. Northwestern obviously needed this win, and now at 7-9, the Wildcats remain alive in the hunt for March Madness. My recipe remains clear. One win against Iowa or Ohio State and one win in the Big Ten Tournament should do it. Two regular-season wins or postseason wins would clinch it. And let’s face it, Northwestern fans are just grateful to be able to talk tournament hopes seriously after that scare in Happy Valley. We’re also happy to win at the Bryce Jordan Center for the first time in a very long time. Two wins over the Nittany Lions this season should put an end to the hex that Penn State has had over us in recent years.

The end of the Northwestern-Penn State game was hardly pretty, but it wasn’t the ugliest ending of the day. I would have to give that award to North Carolina and Virginia. An excellent game turned pretty ugly in the second half with a myriad of missed shots, including two missed threes by the Cavaliers in the final minute. Virginia had multiple open chances from behind the arc, and was absolutely unable to hit the big shot. I’ll give credit to Tyler Zeller for his thunderous dunk in the last minute, but at the same time, let’s face it, a fairly mediocre shot fake somehow sent the defense stumbling. It was as much bad defense from the Cavaliers as good offense from the Tar Heels. North Carolina continues to look like something far less than a Dream Team at this point in the season.

Also, my question of the day, does St. John’s have a chance at the NCAA Tournament after defeating a ranked Notre Dame team at home? It doesn’t look like it right now, as the Red Storm are just 13-16 on the season and 6-10 in the Big East. But wait, there’s more. Their final two games are on the road, against Pittsburgh and Rutgers, and if they are able to defeat two of the conference’s cellar-dwellers, they will enter the Big East Tournament on a five-game winning streak. Go on a bit of a run in the tournament, which of course ends on St. John’s home court at Madison Square Garden, and the Red Storm could have a chance. Yes, it’s a remote chance, but it’s not entirely outside of the realm of possibility.

And speaking of tournament talk, how about the Purdue Boilermakers, one of the hottest teams in the country, after a decisive win at No. 13 Michigan. At 9-7 in the Big Ten, and just one bad loss on the season (a 20-point defeat at the hands of Penn State), the Boilermakers should be set for March Madness. Assuming a win over Penn State and a loss to Indiana, which seems logical, they would have a 10-8 record in Big Ten play, and would certainly have the edge over a team like Northwestern, with their two wins over the Wildcats. Those games suddenly look increasingly crucial. If the Wildcats are able to snag either of those two games, then they might get a bid over the Boilermakers.

Hardly a Fluke, Giants Back on Top

Something isn’t right about this moment. I should be in New York right now, basking in the glory of the Giants’ latest Super Bowl victory, revelling in the blue and red lights of the Empire State Building. But even in the stone-cold silence of Evanston, Illinois, something feels very right about this.

It was a remarkable Super Bowl. I think Patriots fans, Colts fans, Giants fans, we can all agree with that statement. There were no easy plays in this Super Bowl. There were no blown coverages and 50-yard bombs down the sideline. Instead, each play was heavily contested, every completed pass had to thread the needle, every ball-carrier had to hold on tight as the defenders smacked away at the ball and the ball-carrier himself.

It was a physical game. And perhaps, as an example of just how much of a premium points came at during Super Bowl XLVI, it turns out that Mario Manningham’s 38-yard reception down the left sideline was the longest play of the game. And it didn’t come easy. He had to work very hard to get both feet in the field of play, and to keep the ball secure as he was hit by two Patriots. Whether or not it was really one of the greatest catches of all time as the announcers were quick to claim, it certainly was a great catch, and was a good example of how difficult everything came during this game. Just think about the turnovers, or the lack thereof. The sole interception, that critical pick by Chase Blackburn, was hardly an easy interception. In fact, that’s the play of the game in my opinion. The Patriots are leading 17-15 and they’re driving down the field, Tom Brady pulls off a play eerily similar to that of Eli Manning back in 2008, somehow escaping a sack, drifting right, and heaving the ball down the field. The toss found a Patriots receiver. Unfortunately, for Brady, it found Blackburn, the Giants’ linebacker, who improbably weaved his way down field. A linebacker isn’t supposed to drift down field like that, and you kept seeing him check back, waiting for someone to help him, but no one did, so he kept drifting back. He was still five yards behind Rob Gronkowski but the ball hung up in the air just long enough for Blackburn to make a remarkable leaping grab. For the substitute teacher-turned-linebacker, it was quite the story. Even the fumbles from this game, all recovered by the offense, were hard-fought. No one dropped the ball; instead, defenders stripped the ball. Honestly, on one of those fumbles, I couldn’t blame him. I don’t know how anyone could have held the ball, when it was ripped away like that. This was a championship game, no doubt about it. It felt like it, looked like it and most importantly, lived up to it.

There was an astronomical amount of hype leading up to this game. Leading up to it, I joked that Hakeem Nicks would have to catch a ball on his elbow for it to match the heroics of the Giants’ previous Super Bowl win. That didn’t happen, but man, this game came close. It was close from kickoff to final whistle, with neither team ever able to seize control. And, as promised, it was a battle of two great quarterbacks. Manning was brilliant. He completed 30-of-40 passes for 296 yards and a touchdown, a pass that was rifled through a tight hole in the Patriots’ defense. After watching that game, I have to conclude that Manning has perhaps the greatest pocket presence of any quarterback I have ever seen. His ability to pick up the blitz is unparalleled in the sport. Meanwhile, Brady, what more can I say about him. He is amazing, one of the greatest quarterbacks to have ever lived. His 27-of-41, two-touchdown performance was tremendous, and those numbers don’t begin to do him justice. I believe he completed 17 of his first 20 passes, something crazy like that. He completed a Super Bowl-record 16 straight passes, and was just electric throughout.

Also, while ESPN will surely gush over Manning and Brady, give credit to some of the hidden forces behind this great game, like that Patriots’ offensive line. For all the talk about the Giants’ defensive line coming in, they got to Brady just twice, and Brady had a lot of time throughout to pick apart New York’s defense. So give that line tons of credit. But when it mattered most, Justin Tuck picked up a huge sack. Also, give credit to the Patriots’ secondary. All week long, the assumption was that Eli Manning and the Giants’ marvelous trio of wide receivers would run roughshod on the Patriots’ secondary, but it was not to be. The New England defensive backfield stepped it up on Sunday night. They made it exceedingly difficult for Manning, forcing him to thread the needle all night. For all the lunacy of a wide receiver playing cornerback, and all the talk of how New York would exploit Justin Edelman, the unit stepped up big time. If you think about it, there were very few instances in which the backfield got burned. They, and particularly S Patrick Chung, put some big hits on the Giants’ wide receivers. As angry as I was that Chung didn’t get called for a pass interference call early in the game, I have to give him credit. He played well and he hit hard.

Speaking of surprises, as startling as New England’s offensive line and secondary were, you could say the same about the Giants’ rushing attack, which looked dreadful two weeks ago against the 49ers. It was alive and well Sunday night. RB Brandon Jacobs looked as good as I’ve seen him in years, bouncing off would-be tacklers, and Ahmad Bradshaw had that hunger that I haven’t seen in a while out of New York’s running backs. They were mean, lean rushing machines, and indeed, it was as if we were in 2007, once again. Wind might be gone, but we had Earth and Fire running ship. Bradshaw finished with 72 rushing yards. Jacobs finished with 37 rushing yards. Both averaged over four yards a carry. That marked a serious improvement from the Giants’ 3.47 yards-per-carry average during the regular season, which ranked dead-last in the NFL. Their 4.1 team average was also a significant improvement from their 3.1 average in San Francisco.

But enough about the statistics, let me speak from the heart for a few seconds. First of all, all of the credit in the world to the New England Patriots. That is one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history, and no one can take away from Bill Belichick as one of the greatest masterminds in football history and Tom Brady as one of the greatest quarterbacks in football history. But they’ve had their moments. This moment belonged to the Giants, who took us on the ride of a lifetime. When the chips are down, the Giants go to work, and they went to work this season. Four straight losses appeared to doom this team, but they were tough losses to teams like Green Bay, San Francisco and New Orleans. Washington, well that’s another story, but at 6-6, they rebounded with a big comeback win over Dallas, and then at 7-7, they rebounded with two huge wins. And then in the playoffs, there were no easy roads for the Giants. They defeated a pretty good Falcons team in dominant style, and then took on two of the best teams in the National Football League. New York was heavy underdogs in both games, but it didn’t matter as the Giants took on and took down the aerial attack of the Packers and the defensive savvy of the 49ers. They took on the greatest teams in football and pulled it off week after week. They took on the best offense and the best defense, and then in the Super Bowl, they took on one of the best teams in football, period, and they won. Words can’t describe this Giants team, the magical run they went on and how incredible this was to witness. Pride doesn’t begin to describe what I feel right now.

Obviously, it was bittersweet to watch Patriots owner Robert Kraft sit all alone in the press box, his wife having passed away, his 2011-2012 Patriots team having passed away as well, but he should take great comfort in his football team. He is steward of one of the great teams in football history. No one can take that away from him. But now no one can take away from Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin as two of the greats in football history as well. Whether or not their wins and completion percentage numbers ever get them to the Hall of Fame, their clutch performances have already enshrined them a spot in football history, and for two men, who New York once wanted to be rid of, well this is absolutely remarkable, and they deserve all the credit in the world.

Meanwhile, the Northwestern Wildcats, how could I forget about them? A huge win for them today against the Fighting Illini. This wasn’t one of the games I expected them to win, particularly given the drubbing they received at the hands of Illinois last season at Assembly Hall, but they came through this time around, for their first win in Champaign since 1999. A really, really impressive win for Northwestern. One that probably seals a NIT bid, assuming no collapses, and one that certainly brings back some of those NCAA Tournament dreams. Don’t worry, folks, I’ll bring back the chart tomorrow, and we’ll discuss that in much greater detail later on. But for tonight, let’s not talk future, let’s just bask in a great win.

Reggie Hearn is a stud. I mean, who is this kid? He handles the ball beautifully, he plays hard, he grabs offensive rebound, and he shoots the three like a professional. Most importantly, he drives to the hoop. Since when did Northwestern kids do that? Hearn has some serious chops, and it was his play that kept the Wildcats in it going into halftime. Then, it was John Shurna who was flat-out ridiculous in the second half, that brought Northwestern into the win column. We’ve seen his three-point shooting all season, but Sunday saw him put forth his best moves to the basket. He was magical, driving all over, twisting and turning his body, contorting himself into the best possible position, and then hitting his shots time and time again. The win was particularly miraculous given how much Meyers Leonard tortured the Wildcats down low, flushing down dunk after dunk. At times, it seemed impossible to stop him, particularly given Northwestern’s lack of interior defenders, but somehow, by double- and triple-teaming him, the Wildcats found a way. They actually stripped him multiple times in the second half, and did a really nice job of getting under his skin. In addition, to being an irritating twerp in my opinion, he’s a little immature, and Northwestern did a nice job exposing that. One thing that did work in the Wildcats’ favor is that Illinois is apparently the one team in the Big Ten that has as little depth as Northwestern does. Just one bench point combined between the two teams, kind of pathetic, but hey, the Wildcats are just biding their time until Luka Mirkovic and JerShon Cobb make their return. Big step tonight, big step.