THURSDAY WATCH GUIDE

“LOVE ME OR HATE ME, YOU READ ME” 

“IN MY UPSET BRACKET I HAVE COLGATE BEATING BAYLOR!” OR “IN MY SERIOUS BRACKET, I HAVE UCONN WINNING IT ALL” OR HOW ABOUT “IN THE BRACKET I HAD MY DOG FILL OUT, I HAVE THE UNIVERSITY OF…” WHO HONESTLY GIVES A SHIT OTHER THAN YOU BIG FELLA.

CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE LIKELY FILLED OUT A BRACKET. OR MAYBE 2. OR MAYBE YOU WERE CRAZY AND DID 5! NO ONE CARES.  I THINK LISTENING TO MY DAD TRY TO TALK DOWN THE SALES ASSOCIATE (THAT'S A GENEROUS TITLE) AT A BEST BUY ABOUT THE PRICE OF A TV THAT THE PART-TIME COLLEGE STUDENT WHO HAS ZERO ABILITY TO GIVE HIM PROVIDES ME LESS SECONDHAND EMBARRASSMENT THAN HEARING GROWN MEN DESCRIBE THE 27 BRACKETS THEY FILLED OUT.  THAT DOESN’T MEAN I AM A MARCH MADNESS GRINCH. I GAVE YOU, MY READERS, SAN DIEGO STATE LAST YEAR AT 80-1 IN JANUARY AND 65-1 PRE-TOURNAMENT.  I’M AN ADULT BACHELOR WHO HAS ZERO HOBBIES OTHER THAN GAINING WEIGHT AND INVESTING MY HARD EARNED DOLLARS IN PICKING A SIDE ON COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO ARE COMPETING IN FRIENDLY SPORT.  I WATCH ALL THE GAMES. MOUNTAIN WEST, MID EASTERN ATHLETIC, METRO ATHLETIC ATLANTIC CONFERENCE, HORIZON (SEE MY PIECE ON ANTOINE DAVIS FROM LAST YEAR), AND YOU GET THE POINT.  I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR. I WOULD CONSIDER IT MY FAVORITE 4 DAYS OF THE CALENDAR YEAR. I’VE BEEN TO VEGAS FOR THESE GAMES, I’VE BEEN TO TOURNAMENT GAMES, AND I’VE CONSUMED THEM AT HOME.  IT’S FUN, BUT LIKE I ALWAYS SAY, “HAVE FUN, BUT DON’T BE FUNNY”. HERE’S MY QUICK GUIDE TO THURSDAY’S GAMES AND A COUPLE QUICK PICKS:

EARLY SLATE:

THERE’S ABOUT 1 OR 2 GAMES BEFORE 3:00 EST THAT USUALLY MATTER.  I THINK OF IT ALMOST AS A MANDELA EFFECT WE AS A SOCIETY HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO MARCH MADNESS.  IT’S NOT IMMEDIATELY THE CRAZY WALL TO WALL ACTION THAT WE ALL REMEMBER.  LAST YEAR WE WERE GIVEN THE FURMAN AND VIRGINIA BUZZER BEATER BUT THE GAME WAS ASS OVERALL. THE FIRST GAMES REALLY AREN’T THAT COMPELLING TYPICALLY BUT THIS YEAR WE DO HAVE A GAME AND A SIDE THAT I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD NOT ONLY BE INTERESTED IN FOR THIS GAME BUT A TEAM TO WATCH AT THIS TOURNAMENT:

MISSISSIPPI STATE VS MICHIGAN STATE (-1.5)

PICK: MISSISSIPPI STATE ML +100

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: JOSH HUBBARD IS A FRESHMAN GUARD THAT SCORED OVER 4300 POINTS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND CONTINUES THAT SCORING BARRAGE AS THE BULLDOGS LEADING SCORING.  HE’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF FUN TO WATCH AS HE PUTS ON FOR THE SHORT KINGS. GO AHEAD AND START FLOATING HIS NAME NOW AROUND YOUR BUDDIES BEFORE HE TAKES OVER MARCH. EXPECT AGGRESSIVE ON BALL DEFENSE AS CHRIS JANS LOOKS TO SPEED TEAMS UP ON THE DEFENSIVE END AND SLOW THINGS DOWN ON OFFENSE. (SPRINKLE THEM FOR THE FINAL FOUR)

MID DAY SLATE:

THIS IS THE PINNACLE.  THE OVERLAP BETWEEN THE ENDING OF THE DECENT GAMES FROM THE CONCLUSION OF THE EARLY-AFTERNOON TO THE MID-AFTERNOON TIPS ALLOW YOU TO GET THAT ANNUAL SNAPCHAT PICTURE FOR YOUR STORY OF THE 4 TV'S YOU PILED TOGETHER IN YOUR LIVING ROOM THAT ALL HAVE A GAME GOING TO SHOW THAT YOU ARE CERTAINLY INTO SPORTS.  HERE'S A PICK FOR YOU SPORTS GUY:

PICK: DAYTON ML +100

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: ARGUABLY THE WINNERS OF THE 2020 COVID TOURNAMENT (WHICH HONESTLY IT'S PROBABLY BEST TO BE ABLE TO SAY YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN A HYPOTHETICAL CHAMPION THAN TO HAVE THE TOURNAMENT BE PLAYED AND LOSE IN THE SECOND ROUND), THIS DAYTON TEAM I KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT. THERE'S VIRTUALLY NO ACTION ON THEM AND THE LINE HASN'T MOVED. I ONLY MENTIONED THE COVID COMMENT BECAUSE IF YOU'RE WATCHING WITH SOMEONE YOU CAN JUST SAY THAT TO SPARK A CONVERSATION AND THEY'LL BE STUNNED TO SEE THEY WERE LIKE 30-2 AND HAD OBI TOBBIN.

NIGHT SLATE:

YOU'VE PROBABLY HAD A FEW POPS BY THIS POINT. IF YOU'RE DOWN YOU'RE CHASING AND IF YOU'RE UP, YOU'RE GOING TO PROBABLY GET COCKY WITH YOUR UNIT SIZE.  THAT'S FINE, LET'S JUST AT LEAST HAVE A LITTLE GAME PLAN GOING INTO THE DAY SO WE DON'T WAKE UP FRIDAY MORNING ASKING OURSELVES HOW WE GOT HERE.

PICK: WASHINGTON STATE ML +105

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: DRAKE IS THE NAME OF A RAPPER FROM TORONTO. HE WAS IN THE SHOW DEGRASSI ON NICKELODEON (GOOD TO BRING UP IN SMALL TALK IF YOU WANT TO PIVOT TO TALKING ABOUT THE NEW 'QUIET ON SET' DOCUMENTARY). DRAKE HAS PREDOMINETLY BEEN THE SAME ROSTER SINCE COVID. THEY'LL HAVE THE BEST PLAYER ON THE FLOOR IN TUCKER DEVRIES BUT WHAT THEY LACK IN ATHLETISM WILL BECOME QUICKLY APPARENT AND WASHINGTON STATE WILL STUN PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY GOOD AT BASKETBALL.

YOU SHOULD BE ALL SET THERE. HOPE YOUR BRACKET LOSES EVERY PICK.

WITH LOVE,

COACH BOGGS.

03.20.2024