24 Hours of College Basketball

For those of you living under a rock, ESPN is airing 24 hours straight of college basketball, starting midnight, about 9 hours ago.

Your boy the Mulldog has pulled an all-nighter and plans to threaten the Guiness Book of World Records in total coffee consumed by one man in a single day as I attempt to make it through every game.

Game 1: CS Fullerton 68 UCLA 65 2OT: Not a misprint on the score. An absolute thriller as Cal Fullerton beats UCLA in double OT. To call it a thriller is a bit of a joke to be honest. It was one of the worst combined shooting performances seen outside of a biddy league since Naismith invented the game. No, Cal State Fullerton is not that good. No, UCLA is not THAT bad. Before you go burying them realize that they are rebuilding this year and should improve as the year goes on. Dragovic is a very good shooter and he couldn't hit the broadside of a barn...he'll start hitting shots and their big men will develop. They still play excellent defense, rebound it and don't turn it over. They are going to have trouble scoring though and really won't be a national factor this year.

Game 2: St. Mary's A Lot - San Diego St. Not A Lot. This game was a bit of a snoozefest as they only switched to it after double OT and it was already Gaels 19-9. And it only got uglier from there. Mickey McDonnell made Gaels fans quickly forget about Patty Mills as he hit his first 5 three-point attempts including one that was actually registered as having departed from the Congo Republic. Here's the thing. Before you buy into the St. Mary's hype that we will no doubt start hearing...it's an impossible place to play against a team that is rebuilding (San Diego St) and beat up. Good team, but ultimately not that good.

Game 3: Northern Colorado - Hawaii: 4 a.m. Eastern and ESPN decided to try to put anyone attempting the all-nighter to sleep. Little did they know that I am a complete sicko. Watched the whole disgusting game. Northern Colorado won after a fairly tight game turned into a 17 point rout with about 4 minutes left, only for some kid on Hawaii (who I can only describe as Lil' Penny grows up and accepts a scholarship to Hawaii) gets blazing hot from deep and they cut the deficit to 4 points with less than a minute left. UNC held on however. This Hawaii team was a real miscast group of characters. They had some transfer from Providence with a mohawk who made an "And-1" lay-up on a big guy from UNC and decided to get in his face and pound his chest after he "lay-upped" on him.
Also would like to mention that a man on Hawaii got compared by the announcer to the one and only John Bryant. Normally this would disgust me, however this giant white stiff actually came in the game, had about 7 rebounds and 10 straight points in the span of 3 minutes erasing a deficit and giving Hawaii what would be their only (brief) lead of the game. He then got hurt. The comparison stops there.

Game 4: Getting to the good games - Monmouth 30 - St. Peter's 54. I made that score up, but I kid you not it's a lot closer than you would expect. Monmouth made 4 field goals in the first half and had 8 with about 5 minutes remaining in the game. I really don't know exactly what to say about this game other than Peter's gym was the most full I've ever seen it...which is kind of bizarre, considering it was 6 a.m. on a Tuesday. Sometimes I really miss college.

Game 5: Niagara - Drexel. NU overcame a typically sloppy, lazy start (what could you expect after all, with an 8 a.m. tip?) to take a 42-30 lead into the half. Who knows what to expect from this team in the second though, hopefully they keep rolling.

Niagara got the win, classic NU hoops. So talented, but can't stay focused for a game. When they want to they can be absolutely lights out. It all starts with the defense and boxing out for them and they don't always have it though.

So I am on my third pot of coffee, starting at 10 p.m. last night. I'm pretty sure the early stages of hallucinating have set in, I just walked out of the bathroom and knowing no one was in the house heard the music blaring from my room and thought a couple strangers were carrying on a conversation in my house. I have caught myself staring at the TV screen missing what I would approximate at 4-5 possessions in whichever game is on. Honestly, I'm beginning to think this is one long game that will just never end. UCLA, you still have time to come back and beat Fullerton! Monmouth, couple more hours and you'll reach 50 points! Speaking of zoning out, I just spent the past 5 minutes staring at the screen like it was the original Mona Lisa.

Game 6: Siena and Northeastern are underway. Throw out any praise I heaped on Siena. They are lifeless and garbage without Hasbrouck who I thought was a replaceable part. There was more to tell, but I must post this before I begin hallucinating. Back again at the conclusion of this Siena-Northeastern game. Also, the announcers just mentioned we are in hour 13 of the marathon. Past halfway. I think they also just called me a junkie.

Siena won by, oh who the hell cares, they won by less than 8.5 points. Northeastern couldn't make a shot all game and decides to know down three 3's in the final two minutes. Love it. I don't know how tired I am right now. I feel like it's a regular Tuesday afternoon, 2:00. Tulsa and Arkansas Little Rock just came in so the true test of how tired I am is underway. Seems like days, maybe even weeks ago when that UCLA/SF Fullerton game ended. I'm basically a geriatric. I move from the chair to my bed to the coffee pot and to the bathroom. That's it. I'm half waiting for a nurse to show up and ask if I want the meatloaf or the chicken pot pie for dinner tonight.

Game 7: This Little Rock - Tulsa thriller 25-20 has officially made me teary eyed. I never knew I could see the players in 3D on my 13" Magnavox. BTW, I perhaps should have mentioned that's what I am watching all of these games on. No HD, no big screen, no flat screen. Back to basics. So anyway, I just had some mail delivered, it's my retirement fund records. Apparently, your boy has racked up $5.62 in retirement lifetime. Looks like I'm on the fast track. Or maybe I'm just delirious. I'd also like to take this moment to call out those clowns they showed in the UCLA dorms saying they were "still watching, 24 hours of college hoops on ESPN" Where are they now? That's what I want to know. Did they even make it through the double OT? I know none of those fair weather fans made it through Hawaii and Northern Colorado, much less Monmouth and St. Peter's.
I just sat a solid ten minutes on my sent myself from my phone of my beautiful TV...just to look at my cell phone and realize email account waiting for the picture I
^Not sure what happened up there. What I meant to say is: I was waiting for this picture of my TV that I sent to my email from my phone for a while before I realized I hadn't completed the process of sending it.

Well Tulsa won by a bunch in a game that near rivaled Monmouth-St. Peter's in terms of ugly play. The Tulsa big man Jordan looks much improved. Decent shooting touch. Interested to see him play vs. a team with some size to see if he looks ordinary again or if he's truly improved.

Game 8: Goergetown vs. Temple
Yet again I'm not sure if I was seeing things but right after the tip I swear the score read Temple 6 G'Town 0. I like the Hoyas -10 here. Temple's strength is their big guy but G'Town has Monroe to counter with...the question is can this team find ways to start making shots. 5 minutes in the answer is no.
Also, I decided to make a Bloody Mary. I literally was going to make myself a virgin Bloody Mary except I realized I would have to blog about it so I made it legit. Let's see if this does me in. Plan on a pot of coffee after dinner and then trying to hang on for dear life until that TCU-Zona St. game is over. May have a nightcap with some knockoff Bailey's on the rocks and then sleep for I don't know - 2 days?
At least the good games have arrived.

At halftime 19-13 Hoyas. What did I do to deserve this? Seriously, why must the basketball Gods make this the most miserable 24 straight hours of basketball ever? Seriously, there hasn't been a well played game yet. No one can make wide open shots. This is absolutely terrible!!!!
Georgetown blew a decent lead, looked dead, then came back and won. New year, same old Georgetown team? This team can still get after it on defense, but they seemed to tire out and stopped boarding. Then they came through with a fury. I thought they were unbelievably good last year. At this point I'm about ready to hop off the bandwagon.

Game 9: Duke-Charlotte
Was eating dinner and missed the start and this one is already over. Do you know what it's like eating dinner with your parents without sleeping for 33 straight hours (forgive me if that math is way off)? Do you know what it's like eating dinner with your parents after getting absolutely blasted? Then you do. I was eating chicken and my mom was talking and I felt like it was 3:30 a.m. at Denny's. Somehow the conversation shifted to Jenna Jamison, which got me to up and leave and rush back for game 9 (apparently she was on Oprah today). This one looks to be in the books tonight and Duke is probably going to be very tough this season. I must admit, for the first time, I feel like I'm struggling. I feel kind of drunk, exhausted, my balance is way off (took about three tries to get the foot pedal on the garbage can) and I am fired up for more college hoops. I haven't had enough yet ESPN, keep feeding me. Anyway to schedule a 1:30 a.m. Hawaii jump-off?

We are approaching the 19th hour and I have a question. What is that crazy board they keep showing Rece Davis in front of with all sorts of team name's and numbers? At first (that is the first 15 times they showed it) I thought it was a scoreboard....but after the last showing I am fairly sure it's not. It really made no sense to me. Is this board real?

Happy 20th Hour! Duke 101 Charlotte 57. What did I do Basketball Gods? What?

Game 10: Gonzaga at Michigan St. I actually like Michigan St. -11 here. I can't see any way Gonzaga hangs with them as they really don't have much left. But as we begin to close in on the finale and as my eyes grow heavier and heavier, I have to sit here and hope a game draws my interest. To recap:
-We started with a double OT thriller of an improbably CS-Fullerton upset over UCLA (in a miserably played game)
-St. Mary's was up about 20 on SDSU before we even switched to it.
-North Colorado and Hawaii slugged it out.
-Monmouth got held in the 30's vs powerhouse St. Peter's.
-NU and Drexel played in the most entertaining and exciting (sloppy of course) game of the day. Thank you Purple Eagles. Thank you Dragons.
-Clemson destroyed Liberty despite an absurd line of -10 by Vegas.
-Siena and Northeastern played in a snoozefest at a dead silent, empty Times Union Center.
-Arkansas Little Rock and Tulsa played a miserable game where Tulsa was never threatened.
-Georgetown and Temple both got held under 50 points in at least a rare close game.
-Duke beat Charlotte by 50.
How miserable am I right now? Well at least I got some more coffee, let's hope these last three games cap things off with a fury.
I would just like to thank Michigan St. and Gonzaga for actually playing good basketball. Not only did it come down to the wire, but both sides played defense and solid team ball. Very exciting and enjoyable game to watch.

Game 11: Kansas - Memphis
At the half in a pretty competitive game 26-20 Kansas. I get the feeling that Kansas can't be beat here, the only question is will they run away and hide or will it remain close?
24 Hours of hoops in the books...going into bonus ball now with this ending and then onto ESPN2 to watch TCU-Arizona St.
There is 2:13 left in the game (Kansas 52-47) and I just realized Dick Vitale is announcing. It's not everyday you can say that. Can't say either team was impressive here, I was quite disappointed with the way Kansas played. They have some really good pieces, but they look underwhelming tonight. Memphis just looks like a much lesser version of last year.
I say this all before Memphis makes a serious run, they have just hit a three-ball to cut it to a 1-point game with 16.7 seconds left. The big games really showed up big. Honestly, I wasn't that attached to this game, I just don't have anything left, but an exciting finish has me rejuvenated.
57-55 Kansas as a Memphis player draws bank iron on a three-point attempt with time expiring.


Game 12: TCU-Arizona St.
A dozen games. What a day. Flip over from the Memphis-Kansas game and there is three seconds before halftime. A lesser man may pack it in here, but I am determined to watch the second half. In the meantime I think I'll cap some horse races from Aqueduct for tomorrow in case I wake up before the track closes.
12:38 a.m. - The second half starts. I'm really on my last leg here, I can feel my body starting to shut down...if it wasn't the last half my body would probably just knock me right out now.I actually came up with a horse race I like but I forget what it was.
1:02 a.m. - 25 hours of hoops. I'm watching this game, yet I have no clue what is happening. No way I could operate a motor vehicle right now. Can't believe there is another half-hour left...please no OT.
1:06 a.m. - They keep reviewing plays, they really don't want me to sleep. Me want me to sleep though. When I'm not typing my hands are on my cheeks like a bum asleep on a train. TCU just took a 4-point lead, this game literally might be headed to OT, which might put me over the edge. Who am I kidding? Give me 5 OT's, I'm ready for it.
1:19 a.m. - TCU extended it to an 8-point lead with under 4 minutes remaining. As I'm typing this ASU hits a 3 and calls timeout. This is never going to end. I've been very tired before after working overnights but this takes it to a whole new level. Think I am at my limit right here. 48-44 with under 3 minutes left and this is turning into a drag-out foul fest.
1:27 a.m. - This reminds me of the sleepover parties when you're younger when everyone tries to stay up all night, only I'm not with any friends, I'm watching my 12th college basketball game in just over 24 hours between TCU and Arizona St. because I'm a sickening human being with no life. ASU just tied it at 48 with 1:30 left. Seriously, OT may break me. Gigantic sequence, TCU makes 1/2 free throws, chance of OT just went down. 49-48 TCU, ASU ball 35.5 seconds remaining. I just looked at my backpack and it appeared to be expanding...come on gentlemen, let's end this one already. My eyes are opening and closing, announcers words are fading in and out, this is it, I've hit the wall and hit it hard, no fouls please. Miss. Zona St. should have it now.
1:37 a.m. - The buzzer sounded, ASU won, as I fade in and out, let's wrap this up, it's been fun.

Overall, this was a great run. It started with a bang, was pretty miserable (in a pleasing masochistic sense) and really only the big games panned out much. I come away knowing a decent amount about each team, but since it is so early you can't really tell how teams will gel and develop. I had some more thoughts but my brain literally feels like it has been replaced with a hunk of lead. I just looked in the mirror and I have full-blown shopping bags under my eyes. I may or may not be hearing laughing voices outside my window. I think it's safe to say that I've had enough...meanwhile, TCU looms ominously close to Zona St. trailing just 33-31...do I dare consider the possibility?

Most impressive Team: Duke - Far and away looked the most battle ready. Polished, good on both ends and already knocking down shots. Sure, Charlotte isn't as good as some of the teams the other top-ranked teams faced, but you simply can't look better than that. Duke is going to be a force this year.

Least Impressive Team: There were many, but Monmouth takes the cake. They actually have a big guy - Travis Taylor - who is very tough to stop, but their guard play is so bad that it's a miracle if he touches the ball. They were held in the 30's by St. Peter's and while maybe the 6 a.m. tip is an excuse, Monmouth looked ever so slightly worse than Liberty.

(refs are reviewing a call in this Zona St. - TCU game, you have to be kidding me)

As I wrap things up on the marathon I figured I would do what I should have done in the first place and show you the disgusting set-up I have now sat in for over 24 hours straight:
That's it, just a folding chair, old desktop computer and 13" Magnavox, lots of cups, mugs, glasses and my blood, sweat and tears. Until next year's marathon, stay pewch.