SOLSC 25: March Madness

            I am not a basketball fan. The game goes too fast and you have to pay attention all the time. (That’s one reason I love baseball—and others hate it. It’s slow, and I can multitask while watching on TV.)

            But I love an underdog. And Saint Peter’s is the underdog of underdogs, a relatively small school in Jersey City, N.J. It made it to the NCAA tournament, seeded 15 in the East, after beating number 2 seed Kentucky in the first round (only the 10th time that’s happened since 1985), then beating 7 seed Murray State in the second round. That’s only the third time for 15 seed to reach the “Sweet Sixteen”  (That’s a trademarked term, as is the Elite Eight, which is the next round in the tournament.)

            So tonight I am watching Saint Peter’s playing Purdue, and there’s 6 minutes left in the game, and the lead has traded numerous times, and the score is just 53-52 (Purdue).  54-52. 56-52. I’m really into this game. Saint Peter’s just missed a basket. Another foul on Saint Peter’s, 56-55. Now a foul on Purdue, 57-55. Another tie, 57-57.

            There are rules I don’t understand, like the shot clock and something called a “controlled tap” or a “tip.” The refs decide the call goes to Saint Peter’s, and I can see the Purdue coach saying, “What?!

            59-57, Saint Peter’s, under 2 minutes. Another foul on Purdue.  61-57, Saint Peter’s. A foul on Saint Peter’s, 61-59. Now a foul on Purdue, 63-59, under a minute. 63-61, 28 seconds to play. And the second timeouts in 10 seconds. Is this another rule I don’t understand? And there’s something about fouls that players commit as some sort of strategy I don’t get.

            65-64, Saint Peter’s. 66-64, 67-64. Purdue misses the 3-pointer for tie. Saint Peter’s win! The first time a 15 seed is going to the Elite Eight.

            The Purdue players are despondent. One looks like he might be crying. But the Saint Peter’s team is acting like little boys in their excitement. Their mascot is the peacock. 

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I’m participating in the 15th annual Slice of Life Challenge over at Two Writing Teachers. This is day 25 of the 31-day challenge.  It’s not too late to make space for daily writing in a community that is encouraging, enthusiastic, and eager to read what you have to slice about.  Join in!