I don't watch professional basketball at all. It isn't the game I remember from decades ago. It is surprisingly violent. The refs don't call most fouls, travelling is routine, and it seems to me that most dribblers palm the ball most of the time. It's almost a cross between hockey and rugby.
But I watch my alma mater University of Maryland basketball teams. When I started there, the men's team was average and there wasn't a women's team (I think). The University got a good coach who raised the game to higher levels (just as I was leaving, of course) and for many years after.
Funny story there. I don't know why Mom got so wrapped up it the team. But she got more emotionally involved in the games than I did, so it wasn't just because of me. She would get all wound up, but she couldn't watch for long. She would watch the game a couple a minutes and then leave for a few minutes cheering or yelling until she checked the score again. She said actually watching the game was too exhausting!
I watched in later years when they were near the top, and not much when they weren't. I was a real fair-weather supporter. In fact, I am a real homey but also a "watch when winning" about all local teams. I'm not going to spend a lot of time watching a local team when they are like 2-11. It's just too hard. ðŸ˜
But I discovered the U of Maryland Women's basketball team. First, it was more like the game I remembered. Second, they won a lot. I've been watching them often for about 10 years now. Most years, they are automatic for the NCAA ("National Collegiate Athletic Association" for my foreign friends) tourney, and they won the title in 2005-2006 season.
This year has not been so good. They went 19-12 overall and 9-9 in The Big Ten Conference. But yesterday the played Ohio State in the conference tourney and won 82-61! Ohio State was ranked #1 in the conference and #4 nationally. Winning was an upset. Winning by 21 points was a crush!
Just winning the game was a major thing. U of MD Womens team has a hard time with ranked teams (they are ranked somewhere in the 30s themselves). Ohio as #4 is certainly going to the NCAA, so this won't exactly ruin their season. But it gives a big boost to Univ of MD's chances of getting in.
The Univ of MD has a 17 year streak of being in the NCAA tourney and it would be a shame to see that end. I don't expect them to advance far (they suddenly lost 3 starters this season), but I'll sure watch them do their best.
Here's the kicker... I didn't see them beat Ohio State. I assumed a game against the top conference team would be a prime-time game. But it started at 2 PM and I was busy outside (expecting to watch the game later. ARGGGH! 😞
