During the incredible run to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet Sixteen, the Ohio Bobcats men’s basketball team was forced to grow up a little bit. So was Speakeasy Sports Editor Justin Williams. The paths were intertwined more than you might assume.
It seemed to come and go as one big blur. In the end, Armon Bassett decided that the lure of professional basketball was a little more enticing than hanging around for his senior year of eligibility as a part of the Ohio Bobcats’ basketball program.
Akron head coach Keith Dambrot saw something in the young Bobcats after the Zips knocked off Ohio on Jan. 13. “Once they grow up a little and get their diapers off, they’re going to be a very good team.”
It took us 13 hours and 800 miles, but Matt Pentz and I represented Speakeasy Sports at the NCAA Men’s Tournament in Rhode Island. It was eventful to say the least, so it’s time to hand out superlatives and awards.
Jackson Browne once sang, “No matter where I am, I can’t help feeling I’m just a day away from where I want to be.”
Those words tell the story of Armon Bassett’s life. Well, they used to.
The Ohio Bobcats found out what a truly fickle game basketball is Saturday at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, R.I. After having everything go their way for the last two weeks, they simply didn’t have it against Tennessee.
To reach the Sweet 16, the Ohio Bobcats (22-14) must put Thursday’s epic upset victory over the Georgetown Hoyas into the back of their minds.
It would have been easy to be content with a MAC championship, but the squad certainly proved that it was still hungry for more against the Hoyas. Head coach John Groce knows how important it is for his team to keep a level head.
Ohio 97, Georgetown 83.
Less than two weeks removed from limping into the MAC Tournament as the ninth seed in the conference, the Ohio Bobcats earned perhaps the finest win in the century-plus history of the school’s basketball program.
It was a classic David-versus-Goliath match-up Thursday at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, R.I. The only problem was that David never gave any indication he was the underdog.
The 14th-seeded Ohio Bobcats (22-14) looked more like Goliath than heavily favored, third-seeded Georgetown (23-11), stunning the Hoyas 97-83 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Seeing as the bench has struggled all season long, the ‘Cats (15-13, 5-8 MAC) looked as if they would struggle just to stay in the game; however, the bench came through in a big way, outscoring the starters 44-20 and the Raiders’ bench 44-6 to lead the Bobcats to a 64-59 victory at their ESPNU BracketBuster game.
