Tuesday Media UpdatesWritten by: NY WarriorThere's loads of interest in the MU/UK matchup -- just what you'd expect.
- First off, MU is a popular choice to get bounced in Round One this week. Paul Zeise at the Pittsburgh News-Gazette (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08077/865833-291.stm) is one of the Cassandras, even though he insists MU will lose because it relies too much on the three-point shot. This is the kind of over-simplification you'd expect from somebody who doesn't cover the team, and wrongly assumes that since MU relies on guards it must rely on the trey. Zeise might be curious to know that MU shoots the three-ball just about as well as its next opponent - 35% to 36%.
- Not to be outdone, the Cincinnati Enquirer (http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080317/SPT01/803170327/1062/SPT)picks a Kentucky upset in the opener. Jonathan Smith of the Kentucky Kernel doesn't pick a UK win but he notes that the 'Cats have a 'favorable' matchup (http://media.www.kykernel.com/media/storage/paper305/news/2008/03/18/Sports/Column.Cats.4Team.Draw.Offers.Intriguing.Matchups-3272911.shtml). Digger and Dickie V -- who also picked UK -- must be thrilled.
- Rosiak jumps back in the saddle with a feature on Jerel McNeal's return to the NCAA tourney this year (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=729195).
- Shannon Ryan of the Chicago Tribune offers a recipe for an MU win (http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/cs-080317-marquette-kentucky,1,5397298.story): a) don't snooze (honest), b) defend, defend, defend and c) be board bullies.
- Chris Jenkins of the AP is back with another feature (http://www.chippewa.com/articles/2008/03/18/sports/994y.txt), this one on Lazar Hayward, who, according to Dominic James, is the key to a run in March.
- Kentucky Sports Radio is getting amped u (http://blog.kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=5260)p -- 60 hours until tournament time, the best time of the year for hoops junkies.
TYSHAWN TAYLOR UPDATE
This is OT from the NCAA tournament -- but congratulations to Tyshawn Taylor and the St. Anthony's Friars who finished the season 32-0 with a 62-39 win over Science Park. With the win, the Star-Ledger claims this group is the the second-best group Hurley has ever coached (http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/03/st_anthony_defeats_science_par.html). Considering Bob Hurley has won more than two dozen state titles, that's quite a statement. Wow. Zagoria covers the champs here (http://njmg.typepad.com/zagsblog/2008/03/st-anthony-wi-1.html).
Congrats, Tyshawn!!
http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2008/03/tuesday-media-updates.html