LamarCheeks

Syd scored 7 early points, but since then ... nothing. If she can get a couple buckets to fall, who knows???

Hanging in there!

USC 38, IU 34 after 20 minutes. Love our pluck.

Watkins nearly drew blood that time on CMM. LOL.

Garzon banks a 3 in from the baseline. Not sure I've ever seen that before!

Cieski with a couple nice buckets.

This is one of those games where I don't want to say we have to be perfect -- but we can't afford any slip-ups. A USC player made a bad pass and it went right through Syd's hands. She's gotta grab that. We gotta take advantage of absolutely everything we can.

We gotta be more careful with our passes. SC is so big and athletic -- they can challenge every one.

Announcer made me laugh -- claimed not enough has been said about what Meister brings to the floor. She did a great job of running the floor on that last bucket, but TBH -- she's been somewhat disappointing this season. Any positive minutes, though -- we'll gladly take.

We are getting hammered on the glass so far. Not boxing out.

I'm hearing that Dolson has been having some serious behind-the-scenes talks with Chris Collins' representatives. Scott and the IU administration like that Collins is from a fellow B1G school, runs a clean program and has taken them to their first three NCAA tourneys. They think he can really prosper at IU with better NIL and easier admissions. And Collins thinks he'd be able to more at IU than at NW. Dolson, who knows his hoops, also thinks Collins' is a whiz when it comes to X's and O's. Plus, we just can't beat the guy, so we're looking to get him to join us. I wouldn't be surprised when Northwestern's season ends to hear an announcement of Collins to IU. OK, I completely made that up. Just trying to create a diversion from all this sordid Chris Beard debate. (BTW, I actually do think Collins would be a very good hire for IU).

That was a pretty well-designed play! https://x.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/1897859481284870497

No. 11 Iowa rounds out the day by beating No. 6 MSU 74-61. Three of the four lower seeds win today ... Us, at No. 9 No. 10 Nebraska No. 11 Iowa

Looks like my Monarchs won (I live about 15 miles from ODU). I don't have ESPN-plus, so had to check the score online. ODU had a coach a few years back who was fired because of alcohol issues. Was a damn good coach, too. Reading through this whole sordid Beard debate kinda takes me back to his tenure.

Iowa had a 10-point lead on MSU with about 15 minutes left. Sparty now leading by 17 with just under 4 to play. I think Franimal sharted himself.

There's a MEAC school about 15 minutes from where I live (Norfolk State). Their teams travel together and play doublheaders -- typically women at 6 and men at 8:30 or so. I think the B1G should do that. LOL. Seriously, I wonder how many conferences do that -- Division I or otherwise? I lived in Minnesota for a while. There were DII and DIII schools nearby -- and even their programs didn't schedule that way.

Am working, so never changed the channel from BTN after the IU-Oregon game. Kept the Michigan-Washington tilt on for background noise and afterward, looked up to catch one of those "On The Court" features -- on CMM. Man, that girl has been through a lot -- and is tough as nails. Impossible to express how much respect I have for her. Really, really appreciate her 5 years at IU. We'll miss her more than she knows!

Cieski just admitted that she hasn't seen "Hoosiers." I'm speechless! C'mon Shay -- get with the program. Might need to send her up the Monon Line!

What a great win. Tons of adversity, but we prevailed. Actually think the refs gave us a beneficial whistle during the final few minutes -- because man, they were brutal for most of the game.

Damn -- those big ol' Ducks just practically shoved CMM out of bounds.

Despite all the foul trouble, we're up 17. We're a plucky bunch. Just gotta finish out these final 3-plus minutes and we'll be playing Southern Cal tomorrow.

The fourth foul on Meister was completely asinine. She set a screen for Garzon, then as she tried to cut to the hoop, the Oregon player -- trying to get back to Garzon -- ran into her. That's not a foul. That's incidental contact. That wiped 3 points off the board because as that was called, Garzon hit a 3.

And after 30 minutes IU 56 Refs and Ducks 48

WHAT! That's incidental contact. Both were moving.

I don't like to complain about officials (well, complain too much) but this is brutal ...