Three-Way
Today's Big Ten outcome wasn't the result I would have preferred, and I'm sure that's the case for many of you as well. After running club this morning, I came home to watch the MSU-Ohio state game from the comfort of my couch. I spent the first act, er, half, talking to both parents on the phone. My superstitious side thinks I should have talked another hour, because MSU played its second half during the first half of the game.
For my sake, when I look back on today in a year or two, I'd like to remind future me that if MSU had won today's game, they would have clinched the Big Ten title all by themselves. Instead, by losing to The Ohio State on home turf, they caused a three-way tie for that title, with Ohio State and U of M. It's like my graduating class in high school, with three valedictorians.
MSU was ahead for the whole first half, essentially, sometimes way, way ahead. They stayed pretty strong for the beginning of the second half, then the lead started to trickle away. In the last five minutes or so, the score flip-flopped back and forth with each possession. Both teams wanted desperately to win and were playing their hearts out.
Draymond and Coach Izzo will be sitting at home tonight, thinking about those last 15 seconds when Ohio had possession and strategically let the clock tick down, right before sinking a jump shot from outside. Should they have fouled when they had the chance? Could they have blocked more successfully? It's all moot now, and was right after that ball went through the hoop and time stopped. After much deliberation, with the scoreboard at 72-70 for Ohio, the clock went from 0.8 seconds back to 1 second. The Spartans inbounded, moved the ball up slightly, then called an immediate time out. Then, with 0.7 seconds, Draymond Green had one last chance, in his final regular season game ever as a Spartan, to once again be a hero. It didn't happen, and here we are, co-champs.
Does any of this really matter? We will only be able to see about that during the following weeks. MSU could win the Big Ten Tournament that's coming up, and take bragging rights for being the best team in the Big Ten (which, really, they already are). Then, if they take their game all the way to the NCAA championship game, today's loss will be a complete afterthought. Here's hoping for a very fecund March Madness season.
For my sake, when I look back on today in a year or two, I'd like to remind future me that if MSU had won today's game, they would have clinched the Big Ten title all by themselves. Instead, by losing to The Ohio State on home turf, they caused a three-way tie for that title, with Ohio State and U of M. It's like my graduating class in high school, with three valedictorians.
MSU was ahead for the whole first half, essentially, sometimes way, way ahead. They stayed pretty strong for the beginning of the second half, then the lead started to trickle away. In the last five minutes or so, the score flip-flopped back and forth with each possession. Both teams wanted desperately to win and were playing their hearts out.
Draymond and Coach Izzo will be sitting at home tonight, thinking about those last 15 seconds when Ohio had possession and strategically let the clock tick down, right before sinking a jump shot from outside. Should they have fouled when they had the chance? Could they have blocked more successfully? It's all moot now, and was right after that ball went through the hoop and time stopped. After much deliberation, with the scoreboard at 72-70 for Ohio, the clock went from 0.8 seconds back to 1 second. The Spartans inbounded, moved the ball up slightly, then called an immediate time out. Then, with 0.7 seconds, Draymond Green had one last chance, in his final regular season game ever as a Spartan, to once again be a hero. It didn't happen, and here we are, co-champs.
Does any of this really matter? We will only be able to see about that during the following weeks. MSU could win the Big Ten Tournament that's coming up, and take bragging rights for being the best team in the Big Ten (which, really, they already are). Then, if they take their game all the way to the NCAA championship game, today's loss will be a complete afterthought. Here's hoping for a very fecund March Madness season.