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This season we've heard (and written) a lot about college basketball's problems. Jay Bilas made headlines with his "unwatchable" criticism, referring to the slow, grinding pace that has been pervasive while presenting an underwhelming (and undermining) counter to the go-go-go nature of college football.
There are lots of things about the game that need to be fixed. But dude ... if you think Wisconsin is unwatchable, you shouldn't be allowed to watch college basketball.
The Badgers are apparently the slowest-paced team in the game according to the statistics, but they are an absolute pleasure to watch. They are big. They are skilled. They are smart. And they are sneaky athletic.
They have problems with North Carolina's athleticism last night, particularly Frank Kaminsky and Nigel Hayes. But they still won, in part because it took so long for Marcus Paige to be Marcus Paige. But also in part because Sam Dekker put on a showcase.
Combine Wisconsin's survival with Notre Dame's absolute second-half masterpiece, and you had some eminently watchable basketball last night in the first series of games.
Said this when Notre Dame came to Littlejohn a while back, but they are college basketball's version of Showtime. When's the last time a team passed it as well as these guys do? Seems like every player has eyes in the back of his head.
A few Friday links:
-- Herschel Walker, who apparently was a pretty good running back at Georgia, gushes over Nick Chubb.
"This kid came on as a freshman and just think if he had started the whole season, what he would have done. That's what's so amazing," said Walker, who was also impressed that Chubb came out of the season healthy, and continued to work hard.
"One thing I like about him, the game is over, practice is over, and the kid is still out there working out," Walker said. "That's just the sign of a good athlete. That's a sign that he's doing things he needs to get done."
One more reason Walker loves Chubb: His workload. Walker said it was "absolutely amazing" to see Chubb carry the ball 30 times in several games last year, in an era when he said teams use "a choir" of tailbacks in each game.
This week was the first time Walker had spoken to Chubb. Walker had been to some games and said he was offered a chance to talk to Chubb, but preferred to let him focus on the game.
"Gurley being here, and then you've got Chubb. People forgot about (Keith) Marshall. People have totally forgot about Marshall. Marshall is an excellent running back. then you've got Sony Michel. I'm like guys, You've got a ton of running backs here," Walker said.
-- Was last night the last time Gregg Marshall's last game in charge of Wichita State?
Marshall's eighth season at Wichita State just ended, and he's achieved all the accolades and offers he hoped would come while at Winthrop. He's losing a tremendous player in Tekele Cotton, but he's got another two juniors -- all-time guys in the history of the program -- in Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker. Some wonder if the shaggy-haired Baker will take his shot at the NBA Draft this spring. Will that affect Marshall's decision? Not likely. What's probably going to happen is, Marshall's going to get the offers from the schools courting him, and that decision is going to be made before Baker and/or VanVleet decide on their futures.
"There's a lot of decisions to be made, but we've gotta control what we can control," Marshall said in the cramped, skinny hallway outside the Shockers' locker room. "Hopefully it works out for the best for all of us. I don't know what to say other than that."
-- Texas AD Steve Patterson is reportedly pressuring Rick Barnes to make changes ... or else.
Texas athletic director Steve Patterson is inclined to keep men's basketball coach Rick Barnes for another season, one source familiar with the situation told the American-Statesman late Thursday.
However, Patterson wants Barnes to make changes, the source said. It's likely that includes forcing Barnes, who is fiercely loyal, to change his coaching staff.
If Barnes is unwilling to make any changes, then Patterson is prepared to fire Barnes altogether, the source said.
"Steve wants changes to be made. He wants to see improvement," the source said. "If we don't get those changes, (Patterson) will have to make a change."
-- Paige and Brice Johnson discuss their future after last night's loss.
North Carolina junior guard Marcus Paige spoke on Thursday after his team's season-ending loss against Wisconsin as if he expects everyone with remaining eligibility to return next season - including himself.
"The way I see it, everybody that's able to be back will be back and ready to go," Paige said after UNC's 79-72 loss against Wisconsin in an NCAA tournament West Regional semifinal. "Obviously, things change. But I don't see it any different."
Paige and Brice Johnson, the junior forward, figure to be the most likely of UNC's players who might consider leaving school to enter the NBA draft. Paige, who averaged 14.1 points, has led UNC in scoring the past two seasons. Johnson averaged 13.1 points and nearly eight rebounds this season.
Asked on Thursday if he had a decision to make about remaining at UNC, Johnson said, "I couldn't tell you."
"I'm just worried about what's going on now," he said, "and just trying to get better I've got to get better in every aspect of my game because I didn't do as well (this season) as I thought I would."
-- In Columbus, Braxton Miller becomes a pitch man for a product and it sounds an awful lot like Darius Robinson a couple years ago.
Ohio State is looking into a potential NCAA rule violation with quarterback Braxton Miller after he posted a photo of himself promoting health supplements on Instagram.
The senior quarterback deleted the post from Tuesday that featured a picture of him next to AdvoCare products and included his email as a distributor of the products, but not before it was widely seen and prompted questions about whether his amateur status might be in doubt due to his celebrity and an apparent endorsement.
"We are aware of it," an Ohio State spokesman said Wednesday. "We are looking into it."
The NCAA allows for outside employment of student-athletes, and Miller would not be in violation of any rules by selling AdvoCare products.
But players like the two-time Big Ten offensive player of the year can't use high-profile status in an effort to personally profit, which makes Miller's situation something of a gray area. The Ohio State compliance office hasn't publicly issued any sort of verdict on the situation, but Miller told The Columbus Dispatch "it's all good."
LW
