We're playing Bas-ket-ball......

Opening Thought: A buddy and I played some ball tonight at the Rec Center where I found myself back in the Thunderdome, playing high school ball some 5 years ago. We happened to be sharing our court with the Dance Team, and they were working on game routines and playing some music. When we come out and start warming up, I hear the music and I suddenly feel like it's pregame warmups, in the layup line getting ready for the big game as the music is blasting away and the crowd gets hyped up. Running out onto the floor always gave me the biggest adrenaline rush, and tonight I got to feel a little of that. It was fun.

All right, let's talk some hoops, and there's quite a bit to talk about, so let's get down on it:

• Personally, the most intriguing matchup of the night was Duke playing at The U (Miami (FL)). Miami has been one of the most surprising teams all year, starting 3-1 in the ACC, and the atmosphere was electric with Tim Hardaway, Alonzo Mourning, and Alex Rodriguez in the house. But Duke showed the young Canes they have a little more work to do before they join the ACC elite. Duke doesn't have the name players they've had in the past, and they don't have the strength inside that other top teams do. But, they know how to play together and everyone knows their roles, which can overcome deficiencies a team may have. It was good to see Shavlik Randolph, though still weakened from his bout from mono, he gave as much energy as he could when he was in the game. As he gets his strength back, and the Dukies continue to grow as a team, watch out. They are still undefeated.
• The other two undefeateds had to survive at home, Kansas holding on at the buzzer at home vs. Nebraska, while Boston College had to come from 6 down in the last 2 minutes to beat Villanova. I know Kansas has beaten Georgia Tech, and won at Iowa State and Kentucky, but I'm still not impressed. They don't shoot well enough from the outside for my liking, but they're undefeated. Trips to Villanova and Baylor, followed by a home date with Texas loom for the Jayhawks. Meanwhile, Boston College's next 5 games should be victories. Their leap into the Top 10 didn't result in a loss, which is big for a team. Sometimes, when a team cracks the Top 10, they instantly lose and buckle under the pressure. A good win for BC tonight.
• In the preseason, all I heard about was this was Charlotte's year in Conference USA. So, what happened to the 49ers in the 2nd half at UC tonight? 30% shooting and losing by 22? That doesn't cut it. A good bounce back for UC after blowing it at home against Louisville Saturday.
• It is excruciating to watch Kentucky play offense. THEY CAN'T SCORE!!!! I know they're young, but even Chuck Hayes, Kelenna Azubuike, and Patrick Sparks, the leaders of the team can score. They can defend, that's for sure, but you need a little offense to go with the defense.
• Don't look now, but Texas Tech is now 11-4, 3-1 in the Big 12. Bob Knight in my opinion is a better coach than Dean Smith. He's done more with less, which he's proven since going to Lubbock.
• Indiana is now 3-1 in the Big 10 after defeating Michigan. Michigan is doing everything they can not to make the NCAA Tournament. If Indiana can continue to win some games, they should have the RPI that might enable them to sneak in the NCAAs.
• Louisville 94, East Carolina 41. How can East Carolina be so tough at home, but so weak on the road?
• And now for the wacky MAC. Western Michigan should crack the Top 25 this week. They're now 13-3, 6-0 in the MAC after defeating Northern Illinois. Ben Reed is the best guard you've never heard of. He can shoot the 3, he can take you off the dribble, and he has a mid-range game. I think it's safe to say I'll be in attendance when they come to Oxford and take on East-leading Miami, who is now 9-5, 4-2 in the MAC after winning at Eastern Michigan tonight. It was Miami's first road win since winning at Xavier back in November. Miami stayed a game ahead of Kent St., who beat Buffalo in overtime, and Akron.
• Another team that should be in the Top 25 is Southern Illinois, now 15-3, 6-0 in the Missouri Valley. They've won at Vanderbilt and UTEP and beaten Wyoming, with their only bad loss coming at Arkansas-Little Rock. The battle for Missouri Valley supremacy is this weekend when Southern Illinois and Wichita St. go at it. Too bad this game won't be televised in my area.
• Maryland is in trouble after losing D.J. Strawberry for the rest of the year with a torn ACL. This was already not a team with quality depth, and now they're without their stellar sixth man. If Gary Williams can get this team to the NCAAs, this will be his best coaching job since he came to Maryland.
  
• Tomorrow night's marquee matchups include: 24Iowa vs. 1Illinois, 25Marquette vs. DePaul, St. Mary's vs. Pepperdine, and Arizona vs. Oregon.

Sharapova and Agassi are through to the 3rd round in the Australian Open. The question of the night is will I be able to stay up for the Lleyton Hewitt/James Blake matchup. These 2 don't like each other, and with the match in Australia, the atmosphere and the match should be great.
American Idol wasn't anything special tonight in my opinion. Granted, I was flipping back and forth between that and the 6 basketball games that were on, so take my statement with a grain of salt.

And now it's time for Dial M for Moron:
Tonight's moron is none other than the first winner of Survivor, Richard Hatch. Richard, if you remember declared his homosexuality and went naked on the show, while not hiding the fact he'd do anything to win the game. Richard has plead guilty to two counts of tax evasion, one of them being he did not report the $1,000,000 that he won on the show. He is too naive for his own good I suppose. This is the only explanation for his failure to report this, even though an estimated 52 million viewers watched him win the million dollars. What did he think he could do, just run and hide somewhere???? You may be able to outwit 15 other people, but the IRS, are you kidding me??? Richard, Richard, Richard, moron.