DragonFire

36 minutes ago, 16thBBall Fan said:

Miss. State is currently leading Tennessee 47-28 with under 13 minutes left in the game. 

A reminder for Kentucky to keep their head on a swivel tonight. Of course, they lost to them the last time, so hopefully they wouldn't have needed any extra reminders.

Not sure just how high Mississippi State's NET would move, but maybe they're slowly inching up to pushing Kentucky's home win over them to Quad 1.

37 minutes ago, gchs_uk9 said:

He's been interim principal for eight years?

No. He was principal at the time, then left a year or two later. His successor took the principal job at Glasgow this summer, so they brought Stevenson back as interim. I was not pleased about that. But I also don’t know if he was involved in this hiring process. 

1 hour ago, theguru said:

Have they made an announcement yet?

No. I'm not really sure what the hold up is on why nothing has been announced.

1 hour ago, gchs_uk9 said:

Hasn't Bowling Green hosted the NAIA Mid-South Conference tournament a few times in recent years? I'm assuming they have a 94-foot floor, shot clocks, etc. Obviously it will stay at Diddle Arena but Bowling Green seems more than capable as you said.

Exactly correct. The capacity isn’t as large as Barren County but the arena itself is top notch. If Bowling Green weren’t as good as they are, I could see them hosting it if Diddle were unavailable. But no way any team in this region agrees to it being hosted there. 

On 3/13/2024 at 5:57 AM, TheBarber said:

In the 4th, I used to love seeing the regional at Barren County. Enough seating, parking, etc. It’s just an 84ft floor. When it’s the BG/WC Invitational, Diddle just makes more sense. 

I think in all likelihood, there are three venues in the 4th that could host it.  In addition to Barren County, I believe Allen County-Scottsville and Bowling Green both have the capacity to host.  Bowling Green has never hosted in their current arena (and I'm confident will never get to), and AC/S last hosted the boys in 2000.  But as you noted, it doesn't make sense not to use Diddle given the recent history of teams that make it, and the fact it is a neutral court.  Little is even gained by travel holding it at either of the venues outside of Warren County.

The bounce of the ball here or there is very apt as well.  Bowling Green had I believe three layups in that fourth quarter that just would not go down.  One was right after the three to cut it to five points, where Wardlow made a great cut and got to the rim, it just rolled off.  Mason had quite a few that looked like they were going to be easy and-1 opportunities, but had to settle for just shooting the free throws. 

First ever trip to the state tournament for Butler County.  I'm a Tim Riley guy, so I'll always pull for his team (unless they're playing Warren Central), but honestly, I was basically just as much for Butler County.  I absolutely love that we have them and Magoffin County going for the first time in the long history of their schools.  Love seeing these communities get to experience it!

17 minutes ago, Purple_Reign said:

No other way to put it, shocking loss for BG. Probably rivals the 2011 collapse for me. Played with their food up 9 in the 3rd then forgot how to play the final 12 minutes of the game. WC seemed to want it more. Congratulations to the Dragons. 

Certainly the difference between this one and 2011 is that 2011, those teams were equals.  This Purple team was definitely the better team.  2011 was bitter because of the position they'd worked themselves into with the lead, and it was a sudden gut punch.  Given how they'd played for three quarters, it was surprising that they got tight there in the fourth, but it really was similar to how Central got tight last year.  Central controlled that whole game, then shot an ill-advised three up nine, BG cut it to six, and then you could just feel things shift.  Just a couple of balls didn't bounce their way and suddenly they're in a tight game, and I think they had probably already started to think they were on their way to state before that.  It's hard to get back to mentally right.

I feel for BG, in as much as I can given the rival status and what it meant for my team to win.  I know it is not easy to have won the first three and to really know you were the better team.  Elimination games are brutal like that.  We see it every March in the NCAA.  I was really so impressed with the way Bowling Green played before that final quarter.  They did everything I'd expect from a championship team.  After shooting so well from the perimeter, they used that to their advantage and began to work inside with Ritter as Central extended their defense.  But when things got tight, Unseld took over for Central.  They finally got the game they had to have from their star, who had 24 points.  He went 6/7 from three, and I'm fairly certain had 15 points out of their last 27.  He really struggled shooting against the Purples in each of the first three games, but playing on his future homecourt, he got it done. 

On historic notes, this was Warren Central's 19th region title, moving them one ahead of Bowling Green for most region titles.  They first tied Bowling Green for that honor back in 2011, then again in 2013, then again last year.  Finally, they got it done and moved past them.  They've also now won their last six region tournaments made (not quite the feat of the 2002-2007 run due to the gap in between), winning their last 18 region tournament games.  And though I don't give them much of a chance to make a real run due to the draw, hey, they're still technically alive as defending state champs!

I do not see anyone beating Great Crossing. 

I genuinely believed it was over going into the fourth. I’ve watched Bowling Green close out games like that for years. They take the air out of the ball and they make you foul them. When they shot that three up eight, it was first moment I wondered. When Central cut it to five on the next possession, I think Bowling Green got tight. 

Dragons gotta find a way to hit their free throws. 

Unseld has raised his game like they had to have. 

Feels like Warren Central needed to win in regulation. 

Bowling Green closes games very well. I don’t see this changing. 

Just now, Purple_Reign said:

Lightning fast first half. Over in 25 minutes. Refs letting them play a bit. Central has hit about 5 triples themselves as both teams shooting it well. 

Warren Central 5/7 from three, Bowling Green 5/10. 

You remember what I said about Warren Central needing Bowling Green to miss threes…. Yeah that’s not happening.

I'd say if Bowling Green gets up in the 70s, maybe even in the 60s, then Central doesn't have a shot.  They're going to have to hope that Bowling Green is not nearly as hot from the field and three in particular as they have been.  The Purples have been 10/20, 9/16, 8/21, 8/18 from three in their four postseason games so far.  That 35/75 shooting for 46.7%.  They're simply too good at getting to the rim and finding Ritter in general to survive them shooting that well from deep.  In their regular season meetings, Bowling Green went 5/17 and 2/15 from three.  Central is going to need them to be that team, and Central really can't control how that goes.  And for their part, Central is going to have to shoot better than they have in any of the three matchups so far.

I do believe Bowling Green is the pick, and I'm thinking around 9-12 points.  I believe this is the first time Bowling Green would have beaten any opponent four times in the same season - I know it would be that against Warren Central (and to be fair, it's their first opportunity to do so).  Central has made a frequent habit of losing the district final to Bowling Green and then knocking them off in the region final - they've done it four times.  But this might be the most impressive of them all if they pull the rabbit out of the hat.

This was a bit of a game in the first quarter, but I honestly never doubted this result. Central turned a one point game into a 19 point halftime lead and eventually gained the running clock. 
 

19 times Bowling Green and Warren Central have been in the same tournament field.  13 times they’ve ended up meeting in the final. 17 times one of them has won the tournament. 18 times at least one of them have made the final.  2000 is the lone year that neither made it. In other words, if they’re both there, you’re probably looking at them making the finals against each other, and one of them is definitely cutting down the nets. 

Here. Come. The. Cardinals. 

Purples are through to their 11th consecutive region final. Cumberland controlled tempo early on, but allowed a 21-2 run after scoring the game’s opening basket and the rout was on. 

Yeah I wouldn’t go as far as calling it the state championship, but I’d be highly, highly surprised if the winner wasn’t in at least the state semis. So you’d have to like the chances of the winner to be the overall favorite. 

Owensboro Catholic has made the region finals six out of the nine years Tim Riley has coached them. 

4 minutes ago, 16thBBall Fan said:

I hope you are correct but I thought South Carolina gets the #2 seed and Kentucky the #3 since they held the tiebreak on us. I know (not that they are correct) ESPN has them 2nd and Kentucky 3rd.

Ah, I jumped the gun - they’re the 2 if Auburn beats Georgia. 

First of all, just a massive win. Top tier win on the road, locks down the 2 seed in the SEC tournament which is also big. 
 

But I aged a year in that last minute. 

Just now, Voice of Reason said:

Here comes the foul or don't foul situation.

It’s not even a question. If he misses foul IMMEDIATELY.