Prosser’s death an eye-opener

TOM NOIE
Tribune Staff Writer

Sitting in the stands of the Milk House Gym on the Walt Disney World grounds, Notre Dame coach Mike Brey feels a familiar fog drift his direction each summer.

Brey’s travel itinerary during the July evaluation period has remained the same for years. Later this month, he will spend one final night scouting an AAU tournament in Las Vegas. Like numerous college head coaches, he’ll walk out the door after the final game and head straight to McCarran International Airport for a red-eye flight to Orlando, Fla.

Central Florida is the last stop on the evaluation circuit. It’s also a time when the month’s grind of gyms and hotels and flights and fast food catches up. Around 6 p.m., each year during that first night at Disney is when Brey feels himself floating away.

“You’re sitting in that gym and start wondering, ‘Are you kidding me?’” Brey said. “We’ve looked at ourselves as college coaches and said, ‘What are we doing? This is ridiculous. This is crazy.’”

A consideration for change raced through college basketball last July when Wake Forest head coach Skip Prosser died of a heart attack. Like Brey, Prosser had taken an overnight flight to Orlando. He spent a few hours scouting games, then flew back to a basketball camp at Wake Forest before planning a return to Orlando. Prosser collapsed after a brief workout. His death forced his colleagues to take a serious look at their saturated July schedules.

Read the entire story here.

From a Sports Illustrated story we pulled a few items of local interest

Parting gifts for all 16 remaining tourney teams

By Eric Horowitz

You know those “Last Will and Testament” things they do in high school yearbooks? Before the unsweet 48 went home, they got together and bequeathed a bunch of helpful stuff to the 16 remaining teams. This is their official statement:

• To North Carolina, we leave a time machine so they may go back to Friday or Sunday and practice playing real defense. Louisville or UCLA won’t let UNC run on them like that. And when the Tar Heels need their defense, the defensive intensity won’t be there.

• To the Davidson Wildcats, we leave a vial of Dell Curry’s frozen sperm, so in future years the basketball program can churn out a never-ending stream of Curry offspring.

• To Kansas, we leave a tape of North Carolina’s win over Arkansas. The Jayhawks shouldn’t look ahead … but it might not be a bad idea to watch a little UNC.

Mike Huguenin of rivals.com picked his top five players of this season, in reverse order. If you were at the RBC Center this weekend for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament you got to see two of the five players in action.

5. Notre Dame’s Luke Harangody

4. Davidson’s Stephen Curry: The sophomore had big games during the regular season against North Carolina, Duke and N.C. State, then stayed hot when the Wildcats played Southern Conference opponents. Still, there probably were a few people who questioned how good he was. If there still are people questioning his talent after what he has done in the NCAA Tournament – 40 points against Gonzaga in the first round (a game he essentially won by himself), then 30 against Georgetown in the second – we question their knowledge about basketball. He has unlimited range, a hair-trigger release and he can run all day. In short, he’s a joy to watch – and a nightmare to cover.

3. UCLA’s Kevin Love

2. North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough: When you talk about passionate players, Hansbrough, a junior, has to be at the top. He goes full out all the time. But it’s not just about his effort. The man has talent. He’s great at worming his way underneath. He can pop the occasional 15-foot jumper. He’s more athletic than he looks. He knows how to get defensive position. He’s a good rebounder, and he knows how to get to the line. Once he’s at the line, he knows how to put the ball in the basket.

1. Kansas State’s Michael Beasley

Mount St. Mary’s students torn over Good Friday

By Brent Jones |Sun reporter March 21, 2008

EMMITSBURG – Her Catholic parents generally keep days like Good Friday solemn by shunning technology, and if that holds true tonight, Mount St. Mary’s University senior Maria Parker will find herself in a predicament.

Should she sneak off to watch her school attempt to topple top-ranked and No. 1-seeded North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, a feat that would be one of the greatest upsets in college basketball history? Or does she stay firm to the reasons Mount St. Mary’s closed its doors and sent students away from campus for three school days — to reflect on the Easter season and spend time with family?

Mount St. Mary’s is the nation’s second-oldest Catholic university. The Newman Guide, which recommends the top Catholic schools, rates Mount St. Mary’s among the top 21 universities nationwide in upholding the religion’s identity, an accolade school administrators cherish.

Read the entire story here.

from the ACC & SEC Blog

East Region
Raleigh, NC 5:20 PM

1. North Carolina vs 9. Arkansas

First Round Review

Mount St Mary’s wanted to run with North Carolina and the Tar Heels licked their chops; UNC cruised to a 1st round win. Arkansas kept Indiana at arms length after about 10 minutes of back and forth. Swingman Sonny Weems had 31 points in dispatching the Hoosiers.

For Arkansas to Win:
They have to play their best game of the year. They need a shooting performance like they had against Indiana on Friday (54% FG, 47% 3PT, 79% FT). Defensively, they have to keep Hansbrough off the boards as much as possible.

For North Carolina to Win:
Keep doing what you do. Feed Hansbrough the ball inside. Push the ball on defensive stops. Use your superb depth.

I like North Carolina in this game. It is essentially a home game for them and Ty Lawson is finally back 100% and in the flow of the offense.

We get the first ACC-SEC match up of the Tournament and this one looks to be in the ACC’s favor.

Prediction: North Carolina