I credit my hairdo to the snow that fell ALL DAY in Nashville.

Last night’s visit to Nashville started off pretty exciting, but the game itself lacked the fast-paced, tense ending we enjoyed in Cincinnati.

Memorial Gym was unlike any college basketball stadium I’ve visited before, which is entirely refreshing. The building was older, with a classic and original feel. They boast the first raised court in college bball, which also makes it unique. Also unlike other courts, the team benches were seated underneath their respective baskets, rather than on the side of the court.

Overall, the feel of the gym was like a theater rather than a basketball court. There were bleachers (I think I forgot to mention Cincy had actual seats with backs, which I always prefer) throughout most of the stadium, and though our seats were on the 3^rd level we easily snagged a pair in the second.

So while the court itself was pretty cool, the spirit of the game was lacking a little oomph. There was no band (Cincy didn’t have one either), and there weren’t any cheerleaders or dancers! The husband wanted me to note that had there been dancers, he would’ve liked to refer to them as the “Commo-whores.” So perhaps it’s best they weren’t present.

Cincy had a bowl game at the same time as basketball, and still managed to scrounge up plenty of ladies to get us hyped up. One security person told us that the band leaves for winter break. Hope they had a good time relaxing while the basketball team was getting slaughtered.

The game began with even less fanfare than in Cincinnati, save for a few commercials for Vanderbilt on the big screen. Vandy was full-on in the game in the first half, though neither team did anything spectacular. Similarly to the Cincy halftime score, Butler had the lead at the half, 25-22.

The halftime show was the worst I’ve ever seen, because it didn’t exist. One kid had to walk around blindfolded to find a fiberglass house in the middle of the floor, and that was about it. We took that opportunity to try out the nachos and hotdogs. The husband gave the hotdogs a solid 7 (Cincy had a 6) and the nachos were the same salty chips with orange goop. But, I got to select my own hot peepers, which means I had lots and lots.

The second half was rather dull, and probably upsetting if you’re a Commodores fan. Butler started to heat up, and Rotnei Clarke (who pissed me off when Illinois played Butler in Maui) went off and plopped in some 3’s. All of a sudden, Butler was up by nearly 30 points and the crowd got frustrated and antsy. The game went by rather quickly, clocking in at barely two hours. The stadium was practically empty by the end, with a final score of 68-49, Butler.

It was dark and snowy, but the campus still looked lovely. Everyone was friendly, and no one seemed to mind our Orange and Blue getup. Cincy had a more “college-y” feel, but that might because it’s a bigger school, and a larger amount of students live in the immediate area. There was no student section to speak of, and in general the fanbased skewed a lot… more mature.

We’ve arrived in Memphis, and bless the Comfort Inn for having free wi-fi. Now to find a place with tasty snacks (vegetarian preferred) and the Bears game. Thankfully, the snow didn’t follow us.

Tomorrow morning my partner in crime and I will embark on a basketball road trip that we have been planning for months. To reminisce about the many who didn’t understand what could possible be fun about this trip take a look at my original post.  Five cities and four NCAA basketball games in five days is what’s on the itinerary, and we can’t wait to get going.

Since planning the trip, the matchups have gotten a touch more exciting. Also during that time, various people have told the old ball and chain that I must be a saint for agreeing to go on this trip with him. He beams with pride as he informs them that the trip was actually my idea.

Here’s the schedule, and what to expect:

Dec. 27, 9PM Eastern – #10 Cincinnati vs. New Mexico

Well, this game would’ve been a tad more exciting had New Mexico won last weekend against South Dakota State, as this game would be a top 25 matchup between two undefeated teams. However, Cincy is still the No. 10 team in the country, so that’ll be neat to see. New Mexico was ranked No. 16 last week, and for some reason that one loss kicked them out of the rankings entirely. Since they will be a major underdog tomorrow, clearly I’ll be rooting for the lobos all the way.

Dec. 29, 8PM – #18/21 Butler at Vanderbilt

For our second game in Nashville, we’ll be treated to another ranked team in Butler. Normally I would root for the unranked home team so that I can fit in with the crowd, but since Illinois beat Butler earlier in the season I’m going all-out Bulldogs all the way. I will already get side-long glances for my orange and blue attire, and then I’ll be rooting for the guest. Will the crowd be wearing suits and Sunday dresses, or is that just football games?

Dec. 30, 8PM- Memphis vs. Loyola (MD)

Okay, this game isn’t any more exciting than it looked on paper months ago. Neither of us have been to Memphis, and even though the team hasn’t been the same since Calipari left it in ruins a few years back, there’s still some great basketball history in that building! And, I hope to make a stop at Graceland. At 7-3, the season is far from over for Memphis, and it will be the first stop where we’ll get to join the crowd and root for the home team.

Dec. 31, 730PM – St. Louis vs. New Mexico

Oh Lobos! There you are again. By the end of this trip we will be big fans. Again, this game was just a nice stop on the trip because it’s on the way home, and we have friends in the area. As a bonus, joining us at this game will be the Aerys Gold Rush’s own Marquette expert, Mary! And, if New Mexico manages to win at Cincy, they’ll be ranked again, and then we’ll get to watch another ranked team. Without Rick Majerus (may he RIP), this game isn’t too exciting, but it will be fun to see how many people show up for a New Year’s Eve game!

That’s the trip in a nutshell! Along the way, we’ll also get to watch an Illini basketball game in a bar in Nashville (as a cruel joke they’ll actually be playing in Chicago) and a Bears game in Memphis. Tonight we will pack as many orange t-shirts as possible, because we represent the I-L-L no matter where we are, and even if Illinois has nothing to do with the game whatsoever.

We’ll be blogging along the way to let you know who has the best fans, and who has the best nachos. You’ll get to read about the atmosphere at each place, and who is the most annoyed at our orange and blue shenanigans. See our briefer musings by following @zforthree (or my other half who is a much better tweeter, @jjhparker) or take a look at #jzroadtrip.

Basketball immersion, here we come!

Tickets for our trip!!

It’s no secret to anyone that visits this site or has ever spoken to me that I am a huge fan of college basketball. So for me, the perfect holiday trip involves visiting four different college basketball venues in the span of five days.

The hotels have been booked and tickets for 3 out of the 4 games have been purchased, which means this trip is actually taking shape.

My team of choice is the University of Illinois Fighting Illini, but on the whole I’m obsessed with everything that relates to college basketball.

When I told some girlfriends about my upcoming trip while hopping up and down in excitement, what I got in return was a couple of blank stares.

Them: “Oh, so you’re going to see a bunch of Illini games?”

Me: “Actually, none of them are Illini games.”

Them: “You’re just going to random basketball games for no reason?”

Me: “Oh, there is a reason!”

At that point the aforementioned friends lost interest and began discussing something along the lines of buying a new outfit or a new nailpolish color for their own holiday extravaganzas. At which point I tuned out. It’s not that I don’t like shopping, I do! But, if I had a choice I’d rather be watching college basketball.

The Plan

Let me back up and tell you a little about the plan. Starting out in my hometown of Chicago, the first stop on the list is a trip to Cincinnati to see the Bearcats face New Mexico. Up next, me and my partner in crime (we’ll call him my husband) will travel to Louisville, just because it’s on the way.

Next up, a trip to see Vanderbilt play Butler in Nashville, then Memphis vs. Loyola Maryland in Memphis, and last on the list is SLU welcoming New Mexico, again. Lucky us, we get to see former Iowa coach Steve Alford and the Lobos twice in a row!

Let’s face it, the fact that I knew Alford was the coach of a team that doesn’t get a lot of attention, in addition to his former position (hey, it’s the B1G!) should give you an idea of where I’m coming from. I love the sport, and I love seeing it in person- regardless of who is playing.

In fact, sometimes it’s better to see a game that doesn’t involve Illinois, because I don’t have to hold my breath in fear the entire time. I can actually relax, watch the game and enjoy what’s happening. March is my favorite month for a reason.

While this trip is very much about basketball, it is also about visiting places I’ve never seen before. I’ve never hung out in Cincinnati, and I’ve never been anywhere near Memphis. I’ve been to St. Louis a million times, but I’ve never seen the Billikens play. It’s too bad Rick Majerus had to step down as the coach in August, but I just learned that interim coach Jim Crews was on the 1976 NCAA Championship-winning Indiana Hoosiers. The point is, I would watch any one of these games on TV at any given time, so why not see them all in person?

The one down side of this trip is that I will not be able to see Illinois play Auburn at the United Center this year. Usually this game is in early December, but for some reason this year it was scheduled over the break, and so I’m going to have to watch it in a dusty bar in one of the cities along the route. Again, this may not be a bad thing, since the Illini have lost the United Center game the last three times I was in attendance.

I will be chronicling my visit to each stadium here on the Neutral Zone, and I’m excited to share what I learn at each stop. And, in case you’re wondering, I will be wearing an Illini shirt at every game. I’ll let you know what kind of reaction that elicits, if any.

So stay tuned as we embark on our voyage on Dec. 27!

The A-10 teams did not get into action until Friday. It was a so-so day, as the conference went 2-2.

Florida State 66, St. Bonaventure 63: A-10 Player of the Year Andrew Nicholson tried his best to single-handedly carry the Bonnies into the third round on Sunday. He scored a team-high 20 points, but FSU shut down the rest of his teammates. You can check out more of my recap HERE.

SLU's Kwamaine Mitchell

Saint Louis 61, Memphis 54: Memphis coach Josh Pastner said at the half that both teams were playing great defense, but his team needed to speed up the game. Problem is, SLU wouldn’t let them. The Billikens defense held Memphis to just 38.9% shooting and 2-of-15 from beyond the arc. They also out-rebounded the more athletic Tigers, 31-36, which even made the announcers take notice.

Memphis went on a 9-0 run to take a 33-27 lead with 13:36 to go in the game. However, SLU went on a 12-2 run and never looked back.

Kwamaine Mitchell took over for SLU in the second half with 14 points (22 overall on 9-of-14 shooting). He also hit the three pointer at the buzzer to tie the game at 23-23 at the half. SLU also hit their free throws to seal the deal in the closing seconds.

Brian Conklin‘s play wasn’t pretty (eight turnovers), but he scored 16 points (10-of-11 from the free throw line). Dwayne Evans hauled in 11 rebounds.

For Memphis, Will Barton was the only player in double-figures with 16 points.

SLU pulled off the only 8-9 upset and move on to face the top seed in the West Region, Michigan State, on Sunday at 2:45pm ET on CBS. The Spartans beat LIU-Brooklyn, 89-67.

» Continue reading “NCAA Tournament: A-10 Teams go 2-2 in Second Round”

With St. Bonaventure winning the A-10 Championship, the A-10 got four teams in the NCAA Tournament. The Bonnies received the automatic bid and stole a spot from one of those bubble teams that are now playing in the NIT. Tournament runner-up Xavier, Saint Louis, and regular season champ Temple join SBU in the field of 68.

Andrew Nicholson of SBU

Let’s start with St. Bonaventure. They received the lowest seed of the four A-10 entries (14^th) because they weren’t going to be included if not for winning the title. While at the title game, I was thinking about which power conference teams the Bonnies could face and if their big man could challenge A-10 Tournament MVP Andrew Nicholson.

Well, I called it: the Bonnies will play 3-seed Florida State on Friday thirty minutes following the 12:14pm ET game on CBS (Cincinnati vs Texas). The Seminoles are coming off their first ever conference tournament title (just like SBU), as they won the ACC by beating Duke and North Carolina on back-to-back days. FSU has veteran big man Bernard James (8.2 rebounds a game) and a host of other big, athletic guys. They also have Michael Snaer (14.5 points per game), who is as clutch as they come.

FSU has finally started scoring consistently. Add that to their smothering defense (only allow 62.9 PPG and 38% shooting) and you get a hot team.

To beat FSU and shock many, SBU will need production on offense from someone other than Nicholson. In their three games in the A-10 Tournament, no one other than Nicholson was consistently scoring in double-figures. In the first game (a win over St. Joe’s), Charlon Kloof scored 19 points. However in the next two games, Kloof only scored a total of 19 points. In the Bonnies semifinal win over UMass, Demitrius Conger scored 22 points, but did not score in double-figures in the other two games. FSU will pack the defense inside, so someone from the outside will have to hit shots (ie Matt Wright and Eric Mosley).

» Continue reading “NCAA Tournament: Preview of A-10 Teams”