The Tournament That Wasn’t – South Region Rounds 1 and 2, Part I

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Chad

HoopsHD continues its simulation of what would have happened in TTTW (The Tournament That Wasn’t).  Up next it is time to kick off the First and Second rounds of the NCAA Tournament with a look at the first of four pods in the South Region.  Omaha, Nebraska is the site as top seed Kansas will be looking to advance through two games and into the Sweet 16, but needs to get past 16-seed Robert Morris and the winner of the 8/9 game between Arizona and Marquette.  Who would have advanced from this pod?  It is time to find out!

 

FIRST ROUND – SOUTH REGION – OMAHA, NEBRASKA

(1) Kansas vs (16) Robert Morris

The Kansas Jayhawks went 30-4 on the season in 2019-20, but did lose in the Big 12 Tournament title game to Baylor.  Despite that loss, and despite losing two of three games against the Bears this season, Rock Chalk entered the NCAA Tournament as the #1 overall seed and the favorite to cut down the nets in Atlanta.  Their run to a potential title would start in Omaha with a matchup against the Robert Morris Colonials.  RMU won the Northeast Conference automatic bid and knocked off Sam Houston State in the First Four with a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Jon Williams.  Knocking off KU today would be a lot more difficult of a task.

The task may have been a huge one, but the first half had the eyes of the nation turned to Omaha when the Colonials stayed close for the first 16 minutes, then put together a 10-2 run to suddenly have a 40-33 halftime lead.  That lead was gone 4 minutes into the second half, as the Jayhawks decided to stop playing with their food and instead got down to business.  By the 10 minute mark, the KU lead was double-digits and when the game ended, it was a comfortable 91-70 Kansas victory.  Devon Dotson scored 20 points and Udoka Azubuike has 12 points and 12 rebounds for Kansas.  With the win, Kansas was on to the second round and waiting for the winner of the 8/9 game between Arizona and Marquette.

Final Score: (1) Kansas 91, (16) Robert Morris 70

 

(8) Arizona vs (9) Marquette

The Kansas Jayhawks were waiting for the winner of the second game of the day in Omaha, but neither Arizona nor Marquette was ready to even think about taking them on quite yet.  Marquette entered the game featuring one of the top players in all of college basketball in Markus Howard.  Despite Howard’s great season, the Golden Eagles had finished only 8-10 in Big East play and 18-13 overall.  Arizona had similarly struggled despite their talent.  The Wildcats finished tied for 5th in the Pac-12 and had lost 12 games during the course of the season.  Both teams had talent, so the winner would definitely have the ability to test Kansas in the next round.  First, they had to see who survived their head-to-head battle.

The game itself proved to be very entertaining, as both teams seemed to decide that it simply was not worth the effort to play any defense whatsoever.  Arizona held a narrow 48-46 lead at halftime.  The second half was back-and-forth as well, and when the under 4 media timeout was called, it was the Wildcats in front by the narrowest of margins, 85-84.  Arizona quickly scored an 11-2 run over the next two minutes and hit free throws down the stretch to seal the victory, 105-96.  Zeke Nnaji had 24 points and 10 boards for the Wildcats while teammate Dylan Smith has 23 points.  The game’s top scorer, predictably, was Marquette’s Markus Howard with 32, but it was not enough to keep his team’s season alive.  The second round matchup was set – Arizona would be the next team with a shot at top-ranked Kansas.

Final Score: (8) Arizona 105, (9) Marquette 96

 

SECOND ROUND – SOUTH REGION – OMAHA, NEBRASKA

(1) Kansas vs (8) Arizona

The second round matchup was set – the #1 overall Kansas Jayhawks were taking on the 8th seeded Arizona Wildcats.  Kansas had gotten a scare in the first half from 16-seed Robert Morris, but took care of the Colonials in the second half to advance.  Arizona, on the other hand, had survived a shootout with Marquette to move their names to the second round.  The Jayhawks entered the game knowing they needed to play a lot better to get the first Sweet 16 spot of the tournament.  The Wildcats knew they had a chance to blow up the bracket and send one of the most popular picks to win the whole thing home early.

An early 13-0 run by Kansas was not the start that Arizona wanted as the Jayhawks built a 9-point lead.  Despite Arizona making several first half runs, the halftime score was still 36-29 in favor of KU.  Arizona was able to muster more offense in the second half, but Kansas had an answer for every run the Wildcats tried to put together.  When the dust settled, the Jayhawks were advancing to the South Regional and the Sweet 16 by a final score of 83-72.  Ocahi Agbaji (23 points) and Devon Dotson (22 points) led Kansas in scoring while Udoka Azubuike picked up another double-double.  For Arizona, it was time to return home and begin preparing for next year.  For Kansas, it was time to head to Houston and begin getting ready for their next opponent.

Final Score: (1) Kansas 83, (8) Arizona 72

 

Updated Bracket:

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Keeping up with the Joneses: HoopsHD interviews Hall of Famer Sam Jones

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Jon Teitel

This was supposed to be a big month for the Jones family. We have seen other coaching brothers make the NCAA tourney in recent years (Archie/Sean Miller, Bobby/Danny Hurley, etc.), but this was going to be the year of the Jones. Yale coach James Jones made the tourney last year and had a legendary upset of Baylor in 2016, and after 16 years as a head coach his brother James finally made it this year as head coach at BU. Then the NCAA tourney was canceled and we were left to wonder “what if”. Sam Jones is 1 of the most accomplished basketball players ever: 3-time all-conference player at NC Central, 1st round pick of the Celtics in 1957, then won 10 rings in 11 years from 1959-1969. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel concludes our 7-part series of Joneses past and present by chatting with Sam about making a jump shot over Wilt Chamberlain to clinch a playoff series and winning all of those championships.

You developed your trademark bank shot while still in high school: how did you learn to shoot like that? It took a lot of practice. My coach (Dr. Frank McDuffie) had us practice making layups off of the backboard and we seldom missed so I decided to take jumpers like that, and would just back up further and further from the basket. I developed it during middle school.

At NC Central you played for Hall of Fame coach John McLendon: what made him such a great coach, and what was the most important thing you ever learned from him? My 1st choice was North Carolina A&T. They had a great baseball team that I wanted to play for…but when they told me I could not play baseball I decided to look elsewhere. Coach McLendon came to my house and drove me to campus to try out for his team. I had heard a lot about him because we beat their JV teams a lot. My mother’s backyard abutted Coach McLendon’s backyard and she told him that she had a son who needed to play for him!

You were originally drafted by Minneapolis in 1956 but returned to college after completing your military service: how close did you come to becoming a Laker? I was in the service with a few future NBA players like Frank Ramsey/Al Bianchi. I was named MVP of an all-Army tourney and was asked if I wanted to play pro basketball, but I said that I was going back to school to get my degree.

In the summer of 1957 you were drafted 8th overall by defending champion Boston (7 spots behind Hot Rod Hundley): were you surprised that Red Auerbach selected you despite never scouting you in person? The Lakers were going to take me in the 2nd round because they were scared to use a 1st round pick on a guy from a small school. I am not surprised that Red took me: not many people know this but he never saw Bill Russell play before taking him. He asked Wake Forest coach Bones McKinney about me because they did not have scouts who were paid to travel back then.

Take me through the magical 1962 playoffs:
In Game 7 of the Eastern Division Finals you scored 27 PTS in a 2-PT win over Philly: how were you able to make a jump shot over Wilt Chamberlain with 2 seconds left to clinch the series? The play was not designed for me but when you have the ball and the clock is ticking down then you have to make the play. I knew he could not block my shot in time and it was a swisher!

In Game 3 of the Finals before a then-record crowd of 15,180 you tried to inbound the ball to Bob Cousy with 4 seconds left but Jerry West stole the ball and drove for the winning layup at the buzzer in a 2-PT win by the Lakers: were you worried that you had cost your team the series? You cannot dwell on the past: they won it fair and square so we just went back out to play Game 4.

In Game 5 Elgin Baylor had a Finals-record 61 PTS and 22 REB in a 5-PT win over the Celtics in the Garden: where does that rank among the greatest performances you have ever seen? We tried everything that we could in terms of switching/double-teaming but he was a great player: 1 of the best small forwards to ever play the game. We had no idea he had so many points: we thought that we were the best defensive team ever.

In Game 7 Russell had a Finals-record 40 REB and you scored 27 PTS in a 3-PT OT win over the Lakers to win your 4th straight title: do you think that you should have been called for a foul at the end of regulation after shoving Baylor out of bounds? No: when the shot was taken there were 2 people shoving each other but I do not remember shoving him out of bounds.

In the 1963 Eastern Division Finals you scored a Game 7 record 47 PTS (while Oscar Robertson finished with 43 PTS) in a win over the Royals: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? Because we needed to win! I went to Russell’s room before Game 6 and told him that he was the best center to ever play. We often played better on the visiting team’s court: I told him to help us win on the road and he played 1 of his best games ever. When we went home for Game 7 he looked at me and asked me if I was ready…and I winked at him. I am shocked that it is still a Game 7 record, especially with the great players today who have the benefit of a 3-PT line. I did not even realize that I had the record until a few years ago when Allen Iverson almost broke it (with 44 PTS in a win over Milwaukee in Game 7 of the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals).

In the 1965 All-Star Game you scored 6 PTS in a 1-PT win by the East: how were you able to beat a West team featuring 8 future Hall of Famers (Jerry West/Bob Pettit/Chamberlain/Elgin Baylor/Lenny Wilkens/Gus Johnson/Walt Bellamy/Nate Thurmond)? I never liked All-Star games because nobody plays defense: it is just a show. What I would like to see is 12 guys selected to an All-Star team by their fellow players (as it was back in my day when we picked 10 and the coaches picked 2) and have them face the defending NBA champion. I would pick the defending champs to win because they played together all year long. We beat the West because we never liked them anyway: we were out to just smash them!

In Game 7 of the 1965 Eastern Division Finals you scored 37 PTS and made 1 of the most famous steals in NBA history after John Havlicek deflected an inbounds pass by Hal Greer and you beat Chet Walker to the ball and dribbled out the final seconds to clinch the series: how were you and Havlicek able to save the day? It never should have happened: we looked at the film and Luke Jackson should have been called for standing out of bounds.  Russell backed up and threw a pass against a wire that was connected to the basket that gave Philly the ball. I had to guard a 7’ center named Johnny Kerr after 1 of my teammates had fouled out. Havlicek deflected the ball and time stood still: nobody else moved.

Take me through the 1967 playoffs:
In Game 4 of the Eastern Division Semifinals you tied a career-high with 51 PTS in a 9-PT win over the Knicks: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Yes, although I did not realize it at the time. When a Celtic player was hot they would keep calling out a play for you until the other team made an adjustment. We had 2 big men inside in Russell/Wayne Embry who would set picks for me, and the 15-foot jumper was my shot. The guy who actually told me that I had 51 PTS was Willis Reed!

In Game 1 of the Finals Chamberlain had an unofficial quadruple-double (24 PTS/32 REB/13 AST/an alleged 12 BLK) in a win by Philly: was Wilt the most dominant opponent you ever faced? He probably could have been the most dominant player ever if he put his mind to it. He was 7’2”, could run, jump, defend, pass, and dribble. I played against him during 11 of my 12 years and only tried to make 1 layup against him…and he blocked my shot. After that I took jump shots because I had so much respect for him.

In Game 7 of the 1968 Eastern Division Finals you scored 23 PTS in a win over Philly on the road: how were you able to become the 1st team in playoff history to come back from a 3-1 series deficit? We never should have been down 3-1: we made some mistakes at home that they were able to capitalize on. We knew that we had to win 2 games on their court but we always played to win. The year they went 68-14 we split the season series with them 4-4, but in a Game 7 they were as nervous as we were.

Take me through the 1969 Finals:
With 7 seconds left in Game 4 player-coach Russell called for Havlicek/Larry Siegfried/Bailey Howell to set a triple-pick for you and your shot hit the front and back rim before going in at the buzzer for a 1-PT win over the Lakers: did you think the shot was going in even though you jumped off of the wrong foot to avoid a block by Chamberlain? I did not jump off the wrong foot: I just slipped. We had worked on that new play in practice just in case. I let the play develop, made my move, got a perfect pass after going around all of the picks, and a 15-foot jumper is the same as a FT. I had to shoot off of my left foot, which I was not used to doing, and Wilt was getting ready to rebound. I was ready for Russell to tap it in but he had taken himself out in order to put 5 shooters into the game. The Garden went wild and so did I!

In Game 7 you scored 24 PTS to help beat the Lakers on the road: were you surprised that Lakers coach Butch Van Breda Kolff kept Chamberlain on the bench for the final 2 minutes even though he had recovered from injuring his knee, and what was the feeling like in your locker room after winning the final game of your career? According to the media we were not supposed to win because so many of us were hurt during the year and we had constant lineup changes, but by April we were healed and ready for the playoffs. It was the 1st year I can remember that we did not have home-court advantage in the 1st round. If you can win 1 game on the road then all you have to do is win the rest of your games at home. I remember Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke putting a memo in the seats before Game 7 stating that after the Lakers won the title the USC band would play “Happy Days are Here Again”, Chick Hearn would interview the Lakers star players, and balloons would fall from the ceiling. I showed Russell a copy of the memo and he said, “We are going to run them out of the gym”. I did not want to hear that because I was the oldest guy on the team so I told him I would need a blow after 6 minutes. We played well in the 1st half before Mel Counts helped the Lakers come back in the 2nd half, which is why Butch did not put Wilt back in the game, and I believe that is the reason we won.

Your 10 NBA titles (in an 11-year span!) is 2nd only to your teammate Russell (who won 11 in 13 years): did it reach a point where you just expected to win a title every single year? No. Auerbach was a dynamic coach who never embarrassed us on the floor so we had a lot of respect for the man. He made sure that we were in better shape than any team in any professional sport. The veterans knew that we came back every fall ready to play from Day 1, which is what we instilled in the rookies in training camp. If you came in as a shooting guard then I would teach you how to be in the right position for every play so that you could step in for me if necessary. Russell went to the Eastern Division Finals for 13 straight years!

You played in a Game 7 a total of 9 times and won all 9 of them while averaging more than 27 PPG: what is the key to winning a Game 7? Scoring more points than your opponent! The media mentioned that we had never lost a Game 7 by our 5th one so we figured that we might as well win them all. We got lucky in 1 of them (Game 7 of the 1962 NBA Finals) when Frank Selvy missed a shot and we won in OT but the mystique is still there. In 2010 I sent a message and some shirts to the Celtics before Game 7 in LA, which I think they should have won. I was behind them all the way but they lost a close game (83-79).

After retiring you became coach at your alma mater: why did you take the job, and how did you like coaching compared to playing? Forget about coaching: it is a whole lot different than playing because you have to worry about a lot of other things. D-2 schools do not have a lot of money so you have to recruit good players. Athletic directors and coaches should get off their butts and go into the community and try to raise money from big businesses/churches/etc. I wanted to create a fund used only for out-of-state scholarships but we had less than $25,000 available. When you are left with 4th-tier players it is hard to win. I wanted to have early morning practices like Coach John Chaney did at Temple because then the players would have the rest of the day to go to class and study and the coaches would have time to talk to other coaches, but I was not allowed to do that.

In 1984 you were inducted into the Hall of Fame and in 1996 you were named 1 of the NBA’s 50 best players ever: when people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? I want to be remembered as a team player. My scoring average was 17 PPG in high school, college, AND the pros. I was a big guard coming out of college at 6’4” and was 1 of the fastest guys in the NBA during my 1st 5-6 years. I could jump but you never saw the Celtics dunking because Auerbach thought it took too much energy out of us.

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The Tournament That Wasn’t: First Four, Part 2

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Chad

HoopsHD continues its simulation of what would have happened in TTTW (The Tournament That Wasn’t).  Up next it is time to continue the NCAA Tournament with a trip back to Dayton for the last two games of the First Four.  Tonight, we have another battle of 16-seeds as Texas Southern take on North Carolina A&T.  After that, a pair of 11-seeds battle as the defending national runners-up Texas Tech take on North Carolina State.  What would have happened?  It is time to find out!

 

BRACKET CHALLENGE:  Submit your completed bracket to us by Noon Eastern on Friday, March 27 to join our free The Tournament That Wasn’t Bracket Challenge.  For information on how to join, message us on Twitter (@HoopsHD) or email us at brackets@hoopshd.com.   Good Luck!!!

 

FIRST FOUR – MIDWEST REGION – DAYTON, OHIO

(16) North Carolina A&T vs (16) Texas Southern

The 2020 The Tournament That Wasn’t NCAA Tournament continues in Dayton, Ohio with the First Four matchup between MEAC Champion North Carolina A&T and SWAC Champion Texas Southern.  Head coach Johnny Jones’s Texas Southern Tigers have been one of the dominant forces for the past decade in the SWAC, though this was Jones’ first NCAA bid after taking over for Mike Davis at the start of last season.  North Carolina A&T had announced earlier this season that next year would be their last in the MEAC.  Despite being a year away from leaving, the Aggies captured the league tournament championship and were looking for the school’s second-ever win in the Big Dance.

The game itself was close for a half, with the Tigers taking a 39-34 lead into the break.  An and-one play by the Tigers’ Eden Ewing seven minutes into the second period extended their lead to double-digits, and Texas Southern did not look back from there.  When the dust had settled, the Tigers had claimed an 85-64 win and a date in Omaha with the Baylor Bears in the Round of 64.  Tyrik Armstrong’s 18 points led the way for Texas Southern while Ronald Jackson (14 points) was the top scorer for A&T.  Texas Southern had a win, though it did not turn many heads.  If they are able to get another in the next round, the college basketball world would certainly take notice.

Final Score: (16) Texas Southern 85, (16) North Carolina A&T 64

 

FIRST FOUR – EAST REGION – DAYTON, OHIO

(11) Texas Tech vs (11) North Carolina State

Last season, the Texas Tech Red Raiders advanced to the national championship game and almost cut down the nets as national champions.  This year, the team stumbled a few too many times and found themselves on the Bubble during Championship Week, getting one of the last four at-large spots in the field and being sent to Dayton for a First Four matchup.  Their opponent is the ACC’s North Carolina State Wolfpack.  NC State had an up-and-down season, losing a few games that practically made no sense, while at the same time picking up a share of very notable wins, including beating Duke and Wisconsin and winning at Virginia.  For both teams, therefore, the question was which version of their teams would show up for the First Four game.

The answer to that question looked like it was going to be found really early as NC State jumped out to a fast 7-0 lead and later extended it to 28-19 with 7 minutes left in the first half.  The Red Raiders tried to fight back in the second, with a Terrence Shannon free throw cutting the lead down to 2 five minutes in.  However, a 15-6 Wolfpack run built the lead to double-digits, and Texas Tech was not able to pull any closer than 6 points the rest of the way.  The final score was 70-60 in favor NC State as Devon Daniels led the way with 17 points and 10 rebounds.  Davide Moretti scored 14 to lead Texas Tech, but for the Red Raiders, all that was left was a trip home to Lubbock and the start of the offseason.  The North Carolina State Wolfpack, on the other hand, were on their way to Albany and a Round of 64 date with 6-seed Penn State.

Final Score: (11) NC State 70, (11) Texas Tech 60

Updated Bracket:

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Keeping up with the Joneses: HoopsHD interviews Marty Wilson about former Pepperdine star Dana Jones

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Jon Teitel

This was supposed to be a big month for the Jones family. We have seen other coaching brothers make the NCAA tourney in recent years (Archie/Sean Miller, Bobby/Danny Hurley, etc.), but this was going to be the year of the Jones. Yale coach James Jones made the tourney last year and had a legendary upset of Baylor in 2016, and after 16 years as a head coach his brother James finally made it this year as head coach at BU. Then the NCAA tourney was canceled and we were left to wonder “what if”. Dana Jones did a little of everything at Pepperdine: he graduated as the school’s all-time leader in PTS/REB/STL and was #2 in FG%. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our 7-part series of Joneses past and present by chatting with former Pepperdine assistant coach Marty Wilson about all of Dana’s conference awards and what he has accomplished since retiring from pro basketball.

Dana grew up in Los Angeles: what made him choose Pepperdine? He went to school out in the Valley and was not a heavily-recruited player but our staff fell in love with everything that he did. He was a great teammate and really good at everything. He had a breakout performance in the city championship game and was close to his family so he wanted to stay close to home.

He averaged 10 PPG/8.2 RPG as a freshman and was named WCC ROY: how was he able to come in and contribute right from the start? He was a perfect fit as a complement to guys like Doug Christie/Geoff Lear. He was very unselfish and did not care about the spotlight but took advantage of all his opportunities. It allowed us to do more and more things for him and help develop him.

In 1993 he was named conference POY: what did it mean to him to receive such an outstanding honor? I thought that he should have won it as a senior as well but my gut tells me that they did not want to give it to us 4 years in a row (after Christie won it in 1991 & 1992). He just decided that he would prove everyone wrong in the 1994 conference tourney by winning MVP!

Take me through the 1994 postseason:
He led the team to 3-PT wins over San Francisco/San Diego to clinch the WCC tourney and was named tourney MVP: how was he able to play his best when it mattered the most? Part of it was having a chip on his should from not being named regular season MVP so he just took it to another level. He is not an overly vocal guy who would brag/boast: he just led by example.

In the NCAA tourney he had 15 PTS/5 STL and played all 45 minutes in a 4-PT OT loss to Michigan: how close did you come to beating the Fab 4 (Fab 5 minus Chris Webber)? We were only 1-2 possessions away. I listen to Jalen Rose on TV quite often and I recall Dana having a better game than Jalen (13 PTS/2-13 FG) while going head-to-head: Dana kind of gave it to him on both ends. I do not know if they took us for granted but a number of our guys played their tails off.

He remains #1 in school history with 1031 REB/211 STL: how was he able to balance his rebounding with his defense? I think he took the most pride in those things because he knew that he did not have to shoulder the scoring burden. Dana and I came in together: I had not seen him play live a whole lot but I got to face him at a camp when I was about 24 years old at the time. I went in for what I thought was an easy layup but he blocked my shot! I later worked for Wyking Jones, who was a heck of a player at LMU, and he said that the reason he struggled against Pepperdine was because Dana guarded him so well.

His scoring increased every single year that he was on campus: how was he able to keep improving every single year? Part of that was just him getting better and part of it was his increased expectations each year to do more. He wanted to help the team win and the guards around him knew how valuable he was so they would get him the ball more and motivate him to rebound/defend. He had great pride in being a winner: even in practice he tried to win every line drill/rebounding drill because he knew that it would become a habit during games.

He spent several years playing pro basketball in Japan: how did he like being overseas? He really enjoyed it. We are still close and talk every so often. We had a guy go to Japan a couple of years before who did not have a good experience so I was unsure how it would work out for Dana, but I later talked to his agent and the Japanese team said they would take a guy like him every year.

After his playing career was cut short due to injuries he became a physical therapist who helps young athletes recover from their own injuries: how proud are you of his post-basketball career? I am proud of everything that he has done but am proudest of him being a father. I have been able to spend some time with his kids after a game or on campus and that is the biggest part of his legacy: as a role model to his kids and doing things the right way. His injuries opened his mind to life after basketball during the rehab process: he teaches kids the right way to run/jump/cut without causing further injuries. As a coach that is what you want when all is said and done: he has had a lot of kind words for me as well.

He was inducted into the Pepperdine Hall of Fame in 2010: where does that rank among the highlights of his career? Other than having kids I think it has to be #1 because it is the accumulation of all the success that he has had. When I called him to say that he was being inducted he just could not believe it because he is so humble/respectful. He knows that it was not about him but rather the team’s accomplishments. He was a conference MVP/tourney MVP and people noticed what he did so when he looks back at the games he played it just brings back chills for him.

When people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? Personally, I think that he should be viewed as 1 of the top 3-4 players who ever played at Pepperdine. I worked for the school for a long time but I do not think most people will view it that way unless they saw him play. He had great stats and great success: he was the common denominator.

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The Tournament That Wasn’t: First Four, Part 1

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Chad

HoopsHD continues its series leading up to Selection Sunday and March Madness, as we simulate what would have happened in TTTW (The Tournament That Wasn’t).  Up next it is time to start the NCAA Tournament with a trip to Dayton for the First Four.  The first two games are about to be played, as 16-seed Robert Morris and Sam Houston State go head-to-head, followed by a battle of 12-seeds as Xavier takes on Richmond!  What would have happened in these games?  It is time to find out!

 

BRACKET CHALLENGE:  Submit your completed bracket to us by Noon Eastern on Friday, March 27 to join our free The Tournament That Wasn’t Bracket Challenge.  For information on how to join, message us on Twitter (@HoopsHD) or email us at brackets@hoopshd.com.   Good Luck!!!

 

FIRST FOUR – SOUTH REGION – DAYTON, OHIO

(16) Robert Morris vs (16) Sam Houston State

The 2020 Tournament That Wasn’t begins in Dayton, Ohio with the First Four game between 16-seed Sam Houston State and 16-seed Robert Morris.  The Bearkats of Sam Houston were the surprise winners of the Southland Conference tournament, knocking off Stephen F. Austin on the way to earning their dance ticket.  The Colonials of Robert Morris had used their home court advantage as the top seed in the Northeast Conference to win that league’s automatic bid.  Both teams now had their sites set on Omaha, Nebraska – the city the winner would head off to in order to take on overall #1 seed Kansas.

The tournament began with a bang, as the Bearkats and Colonials fought back-and-forth the entire way.  Despite Robert Morris building a 10-point lead early, Sam Houston fought back to tie it at 40 at halftime.  In the second half, neither team built a lead greater than 7 points.  With the Colonials up 73-70 and 7 seconds left to play, SHSU’s Mark Tikhonenko nailed a shot from beyond the arc to tie the game and put it on the brink of going to an extra period.  Robert Morris had one last chance, and Jon Williams put up a 3 from the right wing that got out of his hand right before the clock went to zero.  When the ball found nothing but net, we had our first buzzer-beater in our very first game, and Robert Morris was moving on to the Round of 64.  Josh Williams led the way with 21 points and 11 rebounds for the winners.

Final Score: (16) Robert Morris 76, (16) Sam Houston State 73

 

FIRST FOUR – MIDWEST REGION – DAYTON, OHIO

(12) Xavier vs (12) Richmond

The second game of the tournament featured the last two teams to get in as at-large bids – the Xavier Musketeers and the Richmond Spiders.  Both teams had plenty of warts on their resumes, which probably made it appropriate that they meet in the First Four.  Neither team was certain its name would even be called on Selection Sunday, as they both suffered upset losses in their first conference tournament games.  A cross-country trip to Sacramento was waiting for the winner, and a matchup with the Midwest Region’s 5-seed, Ohio State.

Richmond came out strong in the first half against Xavier, and the Spiders were able to build a 7-point lead at the halftime break.  A 14-4 run to start the second, however, brought the Musketeers to a lead which they would eventually spread out to as much as 7.  Richmond was not done, however, as the Spiders made a late run to take a 2-point lead with 4 minutes left to play.  Back-to-back baskets by Jason Carter and Tyrique Jones put Xavier back on top, and good free throw shooting in the final minute locked in the win, 76-71.  Naji Marshall led the way with 25 points while Tyrique Jones scored 20 and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Musketeers.  Blake Francis was the top scorer for Richmond with 19.

Final Score: (12) Xavier 76, (12) Richmond 71

Updated Bracket:

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Keeping up with the Joneses: HoopsHD interviews former Toledo star Larry Jones

Posted on March 25, 2020 by Jon Teitel

This was supposed to be a big month for the Jones family. We have seen other coaching brothers make the NCAA tourney in recent years (Archie/Sean Miller, Bobby/Danny Hurley, etc.), but this was going to be the year of the Jones. Yale coach James Jones made the tourney last year and had a legendary upset of Baylor in 2016, and after 16 years as a head coach his brother James finally made it this year as head coach at BU. Then the NCAA tourney was canceled and we were left to wonder “what if”. For those of you who do not remember the ABA, allow us to introduce you to Larry Jones: member of the original all-ABA 1st-team, 1st ABA player to ever score 50 PTS in a game, and 1st president of the ABA Players’ Association. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our 7-part series of Joneses past and present by chatting with Larry about leading the MAC in scoring for 3 straight years and being part of the highest-scoring backcourt in pro basketball history.

You won a total of 8 varsity letters at Toledo (3 in track, 3 in basketball, and 2 in baseball): which sport were you best at, and which 1 did you enjoy the most? I was always a really good baseball player so that was my 1st love. I guess that I enjoyed basketball the most because it provided me with a living, but if I could have been a great baseball player then I think I would have done that.

In the 1962 season-opener you scored 35 PTS against Butler (the most by any Butler opponent all year) before fracturing your right wrist and missing the rest of season: how devastating was it to have your season end after 1 game, and how close did you come to signing with the Lakers after they drafted you in 1963? I went in for a layup, got undercut, and landed on my wrist. I must have had a cast on for 3-4 months, which is a LONG time when you are a young person. It was devastating when it happened because I was looking forward to doing well as a senior. I did not go to college looking to play pro basketball: I only started thinking about it towards the end of my junior year.

You led the MAC in scoring for 3 straight years (1962-1964) and were named an All-American in 1964: how were you able to be so dominant in college? I did not have a lot of scholarship offers despite being a good high school player who was also a pretty good student. When Toledo recruited me they talked about the importance of getting a good education.  They also had a good program and a great coach.

You own the 2nd-highest career scoring average in Toledo history (20.9 PPG): did you realize at the time how prolific a player you were? I was a team-oriented player so I never thought about scoring a ton of PTS. I am a packrat so I was looking through some old articles and read that my coach said I was the most well-rounded player he ever coached. I was a pretty good rebounder for a 6’2″ guard.

In the summer of 1964 you were drafted 20th overall by Philly (1 spot behind Jerry Sloan): did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? It was good to be drafted. My parents got divorced early in my life so playing pro basketball allowed me the opportunity to buy my mother a house after a couple of years, then a house for my dad the following year. I was only making about $10,000 back then: the houses cost more than my annual salary! The most touching thing for me was to provide them with that after all of their sacrifices.

The final game of your rookie season was a 1-PT loss to Boston in Game 7 of the 1965 Eastern Division Finals after John Havlicek’s famous steal of Hal Greer’s inbound pass in the final seconds: what was it like to face the 6-time defending champions, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward? Back then it was the pinnacle to play against the Celtics in the Boston Garden. I used to think about the history of some of the places I played: I remember walking through the Boston train station to get to the court. In NYC to get to MSG you had to go through a back-door alley: there was no plush lounge! Havlicek is 1 of the most interesting players in history: he played in the shadow of Jerry Lucas at Ohio State, and I wonder how he would have done if he played for a team other than Boston. He always seemed to come up with the big play: he had a motor that never stopped. Speaking of locker rooms, it was a shock for me to see guys smoking cigarettes/drinking beer.

In 1967 you joined the ABA for its inaugural season and became a member of the original all-ABA 1st-team (along with Mel Daniels/Connie Hawkins/Doug Moe/Charles Williams): why did you decide to join the ABA, and how were you able to come in and be so successful so quickly? It is a funny story. I got cut from the 76ers and played for the Wilkes-Barre Barons in the Eastern League, which had some outstanding players like Paul Silas/Bob Love. Larry Costello was a 6-time NBA All-Star…but in the Eastern League he sat on the bench behind me/Levern Tart. I got my Masters degree after going back to school during the summertime. I got a tryout with Baltimore and made the team but got cut after 1 week. I wrote letters to almost every team in the ABA but only Denver was willing to pay for me to come and tryout. I flew West for a tryout with the Lakers: Coach Fred Schaus picked me up at the airport and said the only other player he had ever picked up at the airport was a guy named Jerry West! Denver told me not to sign with the Lakers so they gave me a contract for the same amount that the Lakers did. I asked my mother for some advice but she told me to decide for myself. I started driving West on I-70 and headed left toward Denver because some people said that I had problems going left: true story! My shot was not working too well during my 1st few games but then I got it going after that. I think Denver was the best sports city I have ever seen: they embraced everyone even if you were the last guy on the bench.

In November of 1967 you became the 1st ABA player to ever score 50 PTS in a game when you had 52 in a win over Oakland: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? It was 1 of those days where everything was dropping for me: I had almost 40 PTS in 1 half. My teammates kept getting me the ball so they deserve a lot of credit.

What are your memories of the 1968 Western Division Semifinals (a 5-PT loss to New Orleans in the 5th and final game)? New Orleans was a good club. I think that I broke my hand in the 1st quarter of the 1st game but still scored about 37 PTS that night. The Buccaneers had Jimmy Jones/Larry Brown/Doug Moe/Red Robbins/Steve Jones.

In August of 1968 you were elected the 1st president of the ABA Players’ Association: why did you take the job? I sent out an inquiry to see if there was interest in forming a Players’ Association. The front office called me in and said that I should stop because the league was still in its infancy stage but I kept on making inquiries. We found an attorney who really got it rolling. I remember going to testify before the Senate: it was a heck of an experience. We were in Indianapolis getting ready for the 1970 All-Star Game and we told the league that we were not going to play unless we were allowed to form a union. The game was going to be on TV that weekend so they relented. I later had a hard time getting a job in the ABA: I tried to get a spot on the 76ers after their horrible 9-win season in 1973 but they had about 25 guards in training camp. I was just glad to make the team but after Freddie Boyd got injured I became a starter: the key is to be ready when the opportunity comes.

You scored 30+ PTS in an ABA-record 23 straight games with Denver in 1968-69, led the ABA that season with 28.4 PPG, and your career 21.2 PPG is #9 in ABA history: what is the secret to being a great scorer? Part of it was playing with some great teammates who got me the ball and part of it was being a good shooter. I probably shoot as well now as I did back then…although nobody is checking me these days! I would just go out and shoot a lot. While a lot of my friends were going to parties I would be outside shooting by myself in the rain/snow. I was the last guy on my high school team as a junior but I went from that to being the star as a senior. My mother was also a basketball player.

Your team later hired Coach John McLendon: how big a deal was it to have the 1st African-American coach in ABA history? He was a great guy but kind of got screwed over. He worked with the US Olympic team a lot in the past: he would have us run the mile and then cut us if we could not finish with a good time. He said that we might not win every game but we would be in the best shape during the 4th quarter, and he was right. We were always good at home and had some great fans. He was a class guy.

You scored a game-high 30 PTS in 36 minutes in a 30-PT win over the East team in the 1970 ABA All-Star Game but your Denver teammate Spencer Haywood was named MVP: do you feel that you were robbed, and how unhappy were you with Haywood’s 3-year/$450,000 contract? I was preparing to give a speech and get some nice parting gifts so I was STUNNED that Haywood was named MVP. I was later traded by Denver even though the people in Denver loved me. Spencer was a great talent. Coach Will Robinson at Illinois State (the 1st African-American head coach in D-1 history) was a father-figure for Spencer and later served as a scout for Detroit for 25+ years.

What are your memories of Game 7 of the 1970 Western Division Semifinals (you beat Washington despite Rick Barry scoring 52 PTS in defeat)? Rick had a good squad: Larry Brown, Bill Melchionni, etc. They had been based in Oakland before moving to DC. Brown was MVP of the 1st ABA All-Star game despite being an alternate choice: he was a great PG and a smart player. Larry and Doug Moe had been best friends forever and they remained close even as opposing coaches. The ABA did not have centers as good as those in the NBA but the ABA guards/forwards did not take a backseat to anyone in the NBA.

In 1971 with the Floridians you scored 24.3 PPG and teamed with Mack Calvin (27.2 PPG) to form the highest scoring backcourt combination in pro basketball history: how on earth were you both able to score so many PTS while playing together? Our team ran a lot and Mack was a good little guard who could penetrate. Our owner Ned Doyle created the concept of ballgirls in skimpy costumes: he was a pretty good owner! Doyle asked me who I recommended as our new coach and I suggested 1 of my old coaches named Bob Bass. I was not trying to do him a favor or get anything in return: I just thought that Bob was a good coach. Bob also became GM and I had to negotiate a new contract with him after the season: nothing came of it. A lot of guys who started in the ABA later became coaches. I became an assistant with Detroit in the mid-1970s and when you look at the players in the 1978 All-Star Game in Atlanta there were so many who came out of the ABA (Dan Issel, Artis Gilmore, George Gervin, David Thompson, etc.). The ABA was like a family even though we played hard against each other. The toughest guy who ever checked me was Fatty Taylor: he was small and could not jump but he was like a glove.

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