By Staff
Feb. 19, 2001
Thoughts whizzing about while wishing I'd seen a 12-foot dunk…
It feels a bit weird to share my thoughts since I haven't been here in a couple of weeks, due to other obligations. A lot has happened since we spoke last, both memorable and forgettable.
Saturday marked the first time in a while that the Big Three captured wins on the same night. A couple of months ago, I declared that Ole Miss, Southern Miss and Mississippi State would all make it to the Big Dance.
Looking back, that may have been a bit premature. Oh well, if that's the only thing I'd been wrong about recently, I'd be in pretty good shape.
Since my dreadfully off-the-mark prognostication, Rick Stansbury's Bulldogs have hit the skids, showing absolutely no ability to win away from the friendly confines of Humphrey Coliseum.
And when you look at the Dogs on paper, it's really hard to figure out why. But as a wise man once said, basketball games aren't played on paper, they are played inside TV sets.
The only way State will sniff the field of 64 now is if they get hot, make into the SEC Tournament and win it. Think it's far fetched? They could pull an Arkansas number and get in the same way the Hogs did last year.
As for the other two, USM should get in if the Eagles continue to bolster their standing in Conference USA's National Division and if they stop losing to the Tulanes of the world. But they too will need a good conference tourney showing, as league-wide, C-USA is somewhat down in the RPI this season.
Ole Miss, on the other hand is in and in quite firmly. The question for the Rebels is just how high they will be seeded. If they run the table, the sky's the limit.
And for those who don't think that's possible, did you honestly think they would be where they are now?
Naturally, the importance of the games will continue to swell this week.
Sunday marked the first of three straight days of what promises to be great basketball at Turnage Gymnasium.
The Harlem Globetrotters wowed a very nearly full house on Sunday. Tonight and Tuesday night, the Meridian High Lady Wildcats and Wildcats will need that and even more support as they prepare to take on their next round playoff opponents in the Gulfport Lady Admirals and the Harrison Central Red Rebels.
Ernie Watson's club will have its hands full with the defending Class 5A state champs, but the Red Rebels did lose their division tourney final to a team MHS has already bested this season Hattiesburg.
After the clown princes of basketball cleared the court Sunday afternoon, it was time to go to work for both squads with practice sessions.
And yet here they are, winners of 12 of their last 14.
Before I go, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank tournament officials at Southeast Lauderdale and Wayne County for providing me with everything I needed for three nights, including a blown diet and a nice gutache.
I haven't seen spreads of food like that since Baptist church dinners back home in Louisiana when I was younger. It's a shame it will only be cookies and cokes at the Big House.
Richard Dark is a sports writer for the Meridian Star. E-mail him at rdark@themeridianstar.com.